According to the Automobile Club of Southern California, a brand new car might be a smart investment for your teenage son or daughter. When license time rolls around, you will want your child in a car that is designed to be safer and more efficient. The Hyundai Accent is a fun car to drive that has enough power to get going on the freeway, but not enough to encourage reckless driving. The car can be customized to look much nicer than its stock model, and with the many variations in body style and color, the Accent is a neat looking car with an affordable price tag.
Accent Specs
Newer Accents have a 1.6 Liter, 4 cylinder engine that is capable of putting out 138 horse power at 6300 rpm. In comparison, the 2009 Accent has 98 horsepower for roughly the same engine size, so the power of the engine has been increased over time. The gas tank holds just over 11 gallongs, and Hyundai estimates drivers will see 28 mpg in the city, and 37 mpg on the highway. The car is small, with the front and rear headroom not quite hitting the 40 inch mark, but the interior feels roomy.
Safety Standards
The Accent features lots of safety options designed for comfort and reliability. Automatic door locks come with child-safety features. Stability and traction control are also available, keeping the Accent sleek and safe during rain storms. Knowing that wet conditions are one of the major causes of accidents here in Southern California, you will also want to take advantage of the four-wheel ABS system that is available on some models. The Accent also features dual airbags mounted on the front sides of the vehicle to help protect during side swipe collisions.
Long Term Value
The Hyundai Accent comes with a 5 year or 60,000 mile warranty on basic maintenance that covers many common mechanical outages, like O2 sensors, that could affect your car. Stick to the basic maintenance schedule as outlined in your owner’s manual to qualify. Your drive train, the engine and transmission, is warrantied for 10 years or 100,000 miles. For comparison, the Ford Fiesta comes with a 3 year or 36,000 mile warranty bumper to bumper, while the power train is only warrantied up to 5 years or 60,000 miles. The warranty on the Accent is quite generous, so long term reliability should be considered medium to high if you practice routine upkeep.
Other Cars for Teens
Bankrate features a list of seven other cars that parents may find appealing for their teenagers. Their suggestion is to keep your price tag below $23,000, choose a car that does not encourage wreckless driving, and practice safe driving to keep insurance rates low. Avoid SUV’s as they have a higher center of gravity and are more turn to flipping. Also of concern was gas mileage, where a minimum of 20 miles to the gallon was considered acceptable.
You can be flexible on the options that come with your teen’s car, but investing in a safer automobile might be a smarter idea than buying an old clunker your child can fix and grow with.
