Forbe's 10 cars that changed the world.
You're buying your first vehicle. What's the right car for you? The answer depends on whom you ask!
Ask your parents
As a first car, parents usually want teenagers to own "middle-of-the-road" vehicles. They look at middle price range, middle performance, and mid-size.
The reasons are obvious. A mid-sized car:
- Will be your best bet in terms of maintenance and insurance costs;
- Limits the number of passengers who can distract an inexperienced driver;
- Offers more protection than a compact if you get into an accident.
Parents believe that a high-performance car is too much, too soon for most new drivers.
Ask your insurer
According to the nation's leading auto insurer, you'll get the best premium rates by choosing a vehicle with the:- Fewest bells and whistles;
- Lowest price tag;
- Most dependability.
Sounds like your parents, right? But, as one agent pointed out, "if there's not a lot to go wrong with the car, it's cheaper to insure."
The type of vehicle also makes a difference. Most teenagers will start out with a used car. Auto Guide lists the top 10 cheapest vehicles to insure for teens. Here are the top seven:
- 2008 Audi A3: $1,960
- 2008 Honda Accord Sedan: $2,040
- 2008 Mercury Sable: $2,610
- 2008 Ford Taurus: $2,670
- 2008 Subaru Forester: $2,750
- 2009 Mercury Milan: $2,790
- 2008 Scion xB: $2,790
Not interested in any of those? Here's a good rule of thumb you can use: any vehicle with an original sticker price of $16,000 to $22,000 would be a safe bet on lower insurance premiums.
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