Hello –
My daughter is just starting to drive. It’s my first kid driving so I have started to look at used vehicles. Of course, I am price shocked. 9-10 year old vehicle with 145,000 miles for $8,500 ++. I have mainly looked at Ford and Chevy small SUV’s/crossovers. What small SUV do you recommend for a new driver? I don’t want to buy a POS for $9,000 and keep putting $500 into it monthly for repairs. Thanks!
A GMC Envoy or Chevy Trailblazer would be a good choice. There are ton of them running around and you rarely see one with any rust. I have owned several of them over the years and they have been pretty reliable. I have an Envoy right now that has 256k on it.
I have a 2006 Honda CRV that I paid $6500 for with 160K miles on it and have done nothing else other than a couple oil changes. My soon to be 15 year old drives to school and school events on his school permit and we have taken it to some road games and and the state playoff football game, about 3 hours away. Drives perfectly fine. I would strongly suggest one of them.
I bombed around in a Chevy Trailblazer on occasion that I picked up cheap a few years back as an extra vehicle. I think it was a 2005, and the guy I sold it to still uses it the same way today. It has to have over 250k on it now I’d think. The truck I had was nearly brand new so I beat on this instead and it just kept rolling. In 4wd it was pretty tough to get stuck. The only drawback is it was fairly thirsty on gas.
Depending on where you live and where your kid will be driving, don’t fall for the “everyone needs an SUV” craze. Small-medium sedans have been around forever and offer you more bang for your buck in the used car world. A front wheel drive Impala with good tires will handle anything a kid should ever be driving on.
Toyota camry would be my first choice. Those cars go and go and go. It’s not a suv, but not sure the want of a small suv any ways
If you go suv CRV, RAV4. Trailblazers are ok, as are some Explorers. I agree with the guys as I would consider Camry, Corolla, Accord or Civic would be my short list.
Not an SUV, but a Camry or Accord would be a solid choice, but I’ve got a ’10 Mazda 6 as a commuter car now–I was in a bind and couldn’t find an Accord that I liked. I’ve had it 6 years and 70K+ miles and it’s been a very solid and reliable car.
I bought my daughters a 2014 Honda CRV with 120K miles on it in July of 2021. It was listed at a dealership for 15K. I ended up paying a bit under 14,500. Yes, used cars are way more expensive that I would have thought. So far, it has been flawless (not on wood). My wife has a 2015 CRV and I have a 2014 Pilot. We’ve had great luck with our Hondas.
If buying used I have to suggest anything Honda or Toyota over any other brand. Personally I’d stay away from any SUV with a GM badge made after 2010. Trailblazers are the best from that manufacturer but still not in the same league as a Toyota or a Honda.
AWD/4-WD SUVs are too complicated and if anything goes wrong with the driveline, a repair will be more than the cost of the vehicle.
Also, AWD/4WD gives a young/inexperienced driver a false sense of security. It’s real easy to go way faster than the STOPPING conditions will allow them to brake.
Not an SUV, but a Camry or Accord would be a solid choice, but I’ve got a ’10 Mazda 6 as a commuter car now–I was in a bind and couldn’t find an Accord that I liked. I’ve had it 6 years and 70K+ miles and it’s been a very solid and reliable car.
This ^^^^. FWD and good tires are all the traction a young driver needs. There are a million Honda/Toyota/Mazda sedans out there, parts are plentiful, everybody knows how to work on them.
If it was me Id go salvage title regardless. get em an outback decent on fuel awd can tow a small trailer. Heck back when I started driving in 06 I drove a 93 ford aspire, wasnt cool, wasnt fast, likely a death trap but I made it 40+mpg was nice too. Ohh and the exhaust was rusted out up to the headers
Be careful and check to see where the car is from. Lots of flood cars around. Otherwise Honda, Toyota, Mazda. Stay away from Kia, Hyundi and anything with a turbo.
Camry,corolla,accord,civic.
In the Suv line Rav4 or Crv.
I would stay away from Equinox,Gmc Terrain and Kia,Hyundai.
Personally i would stay away from GM 4cyl.anything and turbos.
My oldest just got his license yesterday and I gave him my 06 ford escape with 215k on it. My dad had it before me then I drove it for about 4yrs and know the history of the vehicle. We looked at cheaper cars for him but the 2k beaters are now 6k so we gave him the escape and said he can get a job and save money to get something better. Like others mentioned a front wheel drive car and good tires will do just fine.
From personal experience, I’d avoid an ’84 Plymouth Reliant, though it only cost me $600. 
You guys are all talking about the longevity and mileage of the vehicles. What about the safety of your child? I say a full sized sedan/or SUV with some weight to it.
This is easy, she needs a Buick LeSabre. Unless she’s the favorite child, then she deserves a Park Avenue.
Yup ! Or if you could find one, an Olds 88.
This is easy, she needs a Buick LeSabre. Unless she’s the favorite child, then she deserves a Park Avenue.
Buick has been a go to car for young, old and a ton of construction working commuters. Has worked for all my kids.
I know someone said stay away from Kia/ Hyundai. But I would recommend a 2010, 2011 or 2012 Kia sportage or Hyundai Santa de. 2.4 non turbo. And. My wife has a 2011 now that we bought new I have done vary little 2 it and it has 263k on it now and goes everyday. She had a 2010 and drove it through a stopped enclosed trailer on highway 23. Yes all the way through and into the back of the truck that was pulling in. She came out without a scatch.
You guys are all talking about the longevity and mileage of the vehicles. What about the safety of your child? I say a full sized sedan/or SUV with some weight to it.
Thank You! I maybe should have stressed that in my original post about some reasons why I was leaning towards a smaller SUV. Also, not all SUVs are AWD or 4WD.
The issue with a Kia or Hyundai right now is theft. They are magnets for theft. Some insurance companies will not even insure them right now. Just something to be aware of.
You will see sticker shock on the insurance too.
My recommendation is no matter what vehicle. Good brakes and excellent tread on the tires.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tswoboda wrote:</div>
This is easy, she needs a Buick LeSabre. Unless she’s the favorite child, then she deserves a Park Avenue.Buick has been a go to car for young, old and a ton of construction working commuters. Has worked for all my kids.
All my co workers drive buicks. And they all have 200 plus on them. I had a lasabre for many many years and I wish I still had one. Sold it when I got a work truck and my co worker still has it. Almost 300 thousand on it and it’s still his work car
If you can find one. I vote for a subaru.
The main reason I liked the trailblazers and envoys is because they have a full frame under them so they are solid vehicles and handle crashes well. My wife was T-boned in one right on the drivers door and while the vehicle ended up totaled she only had a cracked rib which sucks, but it easily could have been far worse! It was a real bummer because we bought that vehicle brand new with our first child and it was finally paid off and she hasnt had luck with any of the vehicles she has bought since.
Yup ! Or if you could find one, an Olds 88.
Ha my first two vehicles were Oldsmobile Eighty Eights!
Man those are some boats! You guys are right though, with the 3800 engine those things would go forever. The plenum being plastic was the only issue with them.
The Trailblazer my parents owned was awful – I believe it was a 2003 or so. My mom, brother, and myself all spun out in it on different occasions – It’s the only vehicle any of us have every spun out with. Mechanically it was also garbage.
Like others have said, go with a FWD vehicle as she learns how to drive.
You spun out in a trailblazer and prefer FWD? That is backwards thinking. FWD is absolute trash in winter. Countless neighbors cannot even get onto the county road off our street because of FWD since they dont sand it well. Then add on the fact that when FWD spins it goes directly toward the ditch and to get out of it you actually have to turn the wheel the opposite of what you would think vs RWD where you turn into the skid. I would never have one of my kids or wife drive FWD ever again. Its either 4WD or AWD.
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