Gift Your College Kid an Impreza
Getting your college-bound kid a new car requires thought and research. You want something tailor-made for the climate where they'll be living, in addition to having the right safety features and fitting your budget. Overall, there are a lot of considerations to make. Here are the 20 best cars for your college-bound kids.
1. Toyota Corolla
The Corolla might be the most dependable car on the market, and it's also cost-effective. It provides strong fuel econmy and has low ownership costs. It's perfect for commuting to and from campus, or long drives home for holiday break. Best of all, it boasts excellent safety ratings.
2. Honda Civic
The Civic offers everything a parent buying a car for their college kid could want. It's affordable, safe, and has good handling. It's ideal for young drivers and its engine has a reputation for longevity. You'll also enjoy the low repair costs and Honda Sensing safety features, like adaptive cruise control.
3. Toyota Camry
This car is spacious and more powerful than many compact models and it also has outstanding reliability and fuel efficiency. The Camry is a great choice for college students carrying sports gear or musical instruments. It's also considered to be one of the safest sedans on the market.
4. Honda Accord
The Accord blends a smooth ride with size and comfort. It's known to be reliable and can often exceed 200,000 miles with proper and regular maintenance. It earned strong crash-test scores and is also quite affordable. This is a definite parent-approved choice for college students.
5. Subaru Impreza
If your kid will be heading to a snowy or rainy climate for college, you should consider getting them an Impreza. Its standard-all-wheel drive is great for harsher climates, and it is also fuel-efficient, affordable, and a safe ride.
6. Mazda3
Students that want something sportier will love the Mazda3. Popular for its strong handling and high-end interior, this car offers the driving experience of more expensive cars in its category, but without the inflated cost. The Mazda3 is a standout for college students thanks to its dependability and fun driving.
7. Hyundai Elantra
The Elantra offers strong value and modern features. The price is lower than many competitors, and the warranty coverage is appealing. Parents will enjoy peace of mind because of this car's fuel efficiency and budget-friendly pricing.
8. Kia Forte
The Forte is one of the most fairly priced compact cars available, and it even comes with some surprising features. It has excellent gas mileage, comfortable seating, and intuitive controls.
9. Nissan Sentra
Nissan made dramatic improvements in its safety offering and build quality for the latest Sentra. It's a great option for budget-conscious families, and college students will apprecaite its spacious interior, excellent fuel economy, and sharp driving abilities.
10. Toyota Prius
For students expected to pay for their own gas, the Toyota Pruis is a great option. Its fuel economy keeps the gas costs low, making it perfect for campus commutes and road trips. Some Pruis models have a hybrid system that's reliable and outfitted with safety features.
11. Hyundai Sonata
The Sonata is an appealing marriage of comfort, value, and desirable features. The warranty coverage is impressive, and it's reliable enough to last throughout an entire college career.
Hyundai Motor Group on Unsplash
12. Kia Soul
The soul has a boxy design, roomy interior, and an affordable price for most families, even as they're paying tuition. It's ideal for students who want ample cargo space but don't want to pay the fuel costs associated with SUVs.
13. Honda Fit
The Fit is compact and versatile. It is equipped with the Magic Seat system, which allows you to reconfigure the cargo is several different ways. Students dealing with tight campus parking areas or living in busy college towns will love this car.
14. Subaru Crosstek
The Crosstek delivers practicality in a fuel-efficient package. It has standard all-wheel drive, making it great for students who will be studying in harsher climates or enjoy outdoor acitvities.
15. Toyota RAV4
Older models of the RAV4 offer strong value without skimping on the reliability and practicality you want for your college student. They are known to go for hundreds of thousands of miles with minimal issues if you keep it on a regular maintenance schedule.
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16. Ford Fusion
The Fusion is affordable on the used market, and has ample space, strong fuel economy, and excellent safety scores. This is a comfortable ride that's also dependable and easy to maintain. Available all-wheel drive is ideal for students heading to colder climates.
17. Chevrolet Cruze
College students will adore the Cruze's fuel economy, comfy cabin, and low cost of ownership. It's a practical and dependable commuter car that delivers a quiet ride and intuitive technology.
18. Mazda CX-5
By buying an older CX-5, you can save on the cost while your college student gets to enjoy strong reliability and great fuel economy. It has the safety features you want and a high-end interior feel.
19. Volkswagen Golf
This practical car is a well-designed hatchback with excellent handling. Its size makes it perfect for campus driving and parking and there's enough room for students who need to haul gear around. The maintenance costs are also relatively reasonable.
20. Honda CR-V
This is one of the most reliable compact SUVs to ever grace the market. Older models are far more affordable while still offering tons of cargo space, strong safety ratings, and low ownership costs. It has good fuel economy for a crossover, and is known to last for over 200,000 miles.
