As if the realization that your toddler has morphed into a teen isn’t bad enough, now you have to start thinking about buying a first car. Yeah, your little baby is going out into the world alone, in a moving ball of metal, fueled by angst and freedom. You know what that smells like? Terror. Terror as you start to dismantle every horrible driver on the road. Terror as you realize your baby isn’t much of a baby anymore. And terror when you start pricing their first car. And I won’t even get into all the distractions teens have on the road these days (okay maybe I will). This is why I’m saving for a new car now, while my son is just reaching nine-years-old. But still, the question remains, should you buy a new car for a first-time driver?
Buying a New First Car for Teens – Yay or Nay
Well, you can’t change the lack of another driver’s skills on the highway, and you can’t stop your little precious from growing up, but you can at least save a few bucks by handing the old minivan over to them. I mean, that’s how our parents did it. Right? We got the paid off 7-10-year-old ride with crayon stains and stickers as a standard feature, while mom and dad got the new shiny car. So why shouldn’t history repeat itself?
I spent a few days with Kia in Baltimore at the Kia Rio National Press Conference so I could get a closer look at the 2018 Rio. In my opinion, the Kia Rio is a perfect choice for a teen’s first car. I spent a day driving the Kia Rio 5-Door EX. I asked all the questions and compared all the facts. I came to the conclusion that giving your young driver an older car is like telling Batman to drive your 2