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The top 10 cars craved by teens
Playing it cool
Kids still want to be cool, of course, but they’re formulating shopping lists based on research and at least a moderate dose of economic reality. Teens know that before they hit the dealer lot, they must first pass muster with their parents.
“The teens realize that their parents are involved in these decisions,” Woods says. “They’re a very pragmatic generation. A car is a purchase that has to satisfy their needs and get their parents’ approval at the same time. It’s not like going out and buying a pair of jeans.”
Research firm J.D. Power and Associates estimates that only 1.2 percent of new-car buyers are under the age of 21. Thus, teens often act as an educated advocate in car-buying decisions.
“The kids are pretty informed about a wide array of issues,” says Gretchen Jammiggeh, an executive for McCarthy Chevrolet in Olathe, Kan. “They know exactly what they’re looking for when they come in the door. And they can relate that to how issues like the current economy and the environment connect to automotive choices."
Jammiggeh says her dealership has sold about a dozen Chevrolet Aveos, Cobalts and other affordable, fuel-efficient models over the past month to parents buying cars for their teenagers, mostly as birthday or graduation gifts.
For the most part, kids accompany their parents to the dealership, and the purchase is a collaborative effort. Surprisingly, selecting a more “reasonable” car is often the kid’s idea. “They already know about which cars are good gas savers, which are reliable and which are in their price range,” Jammiggeh says.
In response to intrepid young car buyers, some automakers, including Toyota, now include interactive games and the ability to “customize” a potential new car on online.
“We try to make it a lot of fun on the Web site,” says Denise Morrissey, a spokesperson for Toyota in Torrance, Calif. “We allow users to do things like create their own crests for the car as part of the Corolla ‘dream estate.’”
Cars that offer connections for iPods or MP3 players, including the Chevy Impala and Jeep Wrangler on TRU’s list, are popular with teenagers. “Music is an extension of your personality, and for the teen generation it will be a necessity for their cars,” says Jessica Hoy, a senior associate at Westin Rinehart, a marketing consultant in Washington, D.C.
But it’s important to note that some popular features might not be safe in the hands of teenagers. As popular as iPods and MP3 players are, Moujaes says, it might not be the best idea to have them in a car driven by a teenager. “You want to be aware of cars that are overly convenient, where you can plug in your iPod and fiddle with that while you’re on the road,” he says.
How parents can help
Today’s teens might be well informed on what cars best fit their needs, but they aren’t omniscient. For one thing, most young people don’t start managing their own finances in earnest until after college.
“A lot of the lessons that parents can teach come back around to money, responsibility and taking care of a car,” says Fuse’s Sawabini. “That’s one area where a teen’s knowledge of automotive matters doesn’t always translate into responsibility. You can walk into a customization shop, for example, and blow your savings. Parents have to make sure kids understand that.” Parents can help teens manage expectations around owning and maintaining their vehicle, too.
Negotiating a fair price is also an area where parents’ wisdom and experience are valuable. Most teens probably don’t have much practice negotiating, while many car salespeople have been at it since before teens were born. “Walking into a dealership and getting the best deal might not be in the teen’s abilities. So it’s helpful to be there to help them with that part of the process,” Sawabini says.
Other than the financial component, safety can be a concern that teens often overlook. “We would recommend checking the information that’s available on the Web sites about the crash worthiness of vehicles, whether there’s information about electronic stability controls, side airbags and how the cars rate in crash tests,” says Ann McCartt, senior vice president of research for the Insurance Insitute for Highway Safety in Arlington, Va.
TRU came up with its top 10 list of cars teens most want by polling 2,000 teenagers via the mail and Internet, asking them: "If you were to buy a car right now, what make and model would you buy?" The survey's sample group is similar to national demographics in regard to age, gender and ethnicity. TRU's only instructions were to ask the teens to choose a car that they would actually buy, and not a "fantasy car," leaving the Aston Martins and Lamborghinis as posters on the bedroom wall.
Vehicles on TRU’s top 10 list have their share of safety equipment. The Jeep Wrangler, tied for eighth on the list, received a five-star crash rating from the government. The Chevy Impala includes a one-year subscription to OnStar, General Motors’ emergency communication system. And the Honda Accord features sophisticated stability control systems to prevent skidding.
Other than Jeep’s Wrangler, sport utility vehicles are conspicuously absent from TRU’s top 10 list — and that can be a good thing. Moujaes says it’s probably wise to avoid putting teens behind the wheel of large vehicles that can carry many occupants. “It’s dangerous to carry a bunch of kids,” he says.
Safety played a big role in Ron Farrell’s choice of a 2009 Cobalt for his 19-year-old son Andrew, who is starting college this fall at Cederville University near Dayton, Ohio.
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The car is a surprise gift, but Farrell says his son was still involved in determining what kind of car he ultimately would drive. “He was particularly interested in getting a four-door, believe it or not.”
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