Choosing a vehicle for a new driver can be tricky. Typically, affordability and reliability are the top concerns. But it’s also essential that the car is safe and doesn’t require a learning curve to drive. Large vehicles with long braking distances, very small cars, and sports cars are not ideal for new drivers. However, used sedans tend to be excellent first vehicles for new drivers due to their affordability, many safety features, and ease of use.
Toyota Camry
The 2012 and newer Toyota Camry is a great used car for new drivers. It has top-notch reliability and good resale value. It may not be a particularly exciting car to drive, but for new drivers, that’s hardly necessary. It handles well and has plenty of power for daily driving situations. The Camry also boasts a lot of standard safety features on the newer models, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and much more. Fuel economy is good with most Camry models, but the standard four-cylinder and hybrid powertrain naturally get better gas mileage than the V6. The standard four-cylinder never feels underpowered, and it accelerates quickly when passing or from a stop. When choosing a used Camry for your new driver, the 2015 model is a good choice as the design was updated for this year, and more tech features were added.
Honda Accord Sedan
Like the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord is one of the most successful and long-running nameplates ever sold in the United States. Also, like the Camry, the Accord has come a long way from a simple, basic, often unexciting car into a sophisticated family sedan that many buyers look for on the used car market. The Accord is reliable, has good resale value, and it offers plenty of safety features. When choosing a used Accord for your new driver, models from 2012 on are your best bet. The sweet spot is the 2016 model with updated styling, new smartphone connectivity, many new safety features, and a choice of four-cylinder or V6 engines.
Volkswagen Jetta
Like the previous two models, the VW Jetta has been around for a long time and remains popular with buyers. Over 17 million units have been sold worldwide, which also means that it’s not hard to find on the used car market. A good choice for the Jetta as a used car is the 2016 model. This model year featured a new 150-horsepower turbo base engine as well as smartphone mirroring, new active safety features, and a choice of gas, diesel, or hybrid powertrains. This model year belongs to the generation that debuted in 2011 and went on until 2018. This Jetta model also retailed for a lower price as a new car, so they can be found quite affordably on the used market now.
Finding a used car in this market isn’t always easy, but these are three models that have sold a lot of units over the years, and their sheer numbers may make them easier to find than others.
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