Remember shopping for a car seat when your child was born? You studied ratings and reviews to buy the safest option for your bundle of joy. Now, your bundle is much larger and the owner of a driver's license. You're finding yourself studying again to find the safest option for them.
Fortunately, Subaru vehicles are among the safest, most reliable vehicles available. Here are four key things to look for when purchasing a Subaru for teen drivers.
Safety
Kelley Blue Book has named Subaru its Most Trusted Brand every year since 2015. An automobile industry honor that impressive speaks highly of the Subaru brand. But that's not Subaru's only accolade. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the 2019 Ascent, Crosstrek, Impreza, Legacy, and Outback each a five-star overall vehicle score. The five-star overall vehicle score is the highest rating a vehicle can earn from that organization. The American Customer Satisfaction Index ranked Subaru No. 1 in vehicle safety. With top accolades that encompass the entire brand, Subaru safety is clearly the top reason to choose a Subaru for your child.
A vehicle's equipment is a large reason that a vehicle is safe. As with every Subaru model, the Impreza comes with symmetrical all-wheel drive as a standard feature. Symmetrical all-wheel drive ensures stability regardless of the road or weather conditions, which results in improved handling and traction. It's one of many reasons Parents magazine named the Impreza among its five best new cars for your teen. Additionally, the NHTSA awarded the Impreza a perfect score in every category, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) dubbed it a Top Safety Pick.
Like the symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, the Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control stability control system, the anti-lock braking system, the electronic brake-force distribution system, and the brake assist system are standard on every Subaru.
Need more proof that Subaru is the safest option for your teen driver? Occupants of a Subaru — and most importantly, your child — are protected by a ring-shaped reinforcement frame, along with a system of eight air bags. If there is a collision, the engine is designed to drive under the chassis instead of toward the passenger compartment.
Reliability
If the idea of your child stranded on the side of the road with an unreliable vehicle terrifies you, have no fear. Not only has Subaru turned heads in the safety category, but it has also attracted attention for its reliability. Kelley Blue Book states that Subaru has the lowest five-year cost to own among all brands. Experian notes that 97% of all Subaru vehicles sold in the last 10 years are still on the road.
If something happens to your teen's Subaru, whether a mechanical issue or a collision, your child can summon help immediately through the Starlink safety and security system. Starlink is available on every new Subaru model. Other parent-friendly Starlink features include notifications via the MySubaru mobile app if your teen exceeds a set speed, drives beyond a set geographic boundary, or if they operate the Subaru past a specified curfew. You can also see when warning lights illuminate on your teen's vehicle dashboard, so you know when to schedule service for their vehicle.
Size
Size matters when it comes to selecting a vehicle for your teen. A tiny car will not afford the safety and protection you seek for your child. Large vehicles may be too unstable and cumbersome for an inexperienced driver to maneuver. Fortunately, all Subaru vehicles are “right-sized” in that they are neither too large nor too small for your child.
All Subaru vehicles are also the perfect size when it comes to interior room. Ample shoulder and legroom in every Subaru are perfect for a taller teen. Spacious cargo volume is perfect for a teen with many interests or who will be moving to college soon. A model lineup that includes four-door sedans, five-door hatchbacks, and crossover/SUVs means you can find the right Subaru to meet your teen's specific needs and tastes.
Engine size is equally important. You and your teen might not see eye to eye on how fast they should drive their car, but a car with a smaller, less-powerful engine reduces the temptation to speed or engage in reckless behaviors. All Subaru vehicles offer either a four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine, which is ideal for younger drivers. A four-cylinder option is best for limited acceleration, not to mention better fuel economy. Thus, the Subaru WRX may not be the most reasonable option for your teen because of its classification as a high-performance car.
The Subaru transmission options include manual and automatic. You'll need an automatic transmission to take advantage of the EyeSight technology, which we'll discuss next.
Technology
The Subaru EyeSight technology suite includes such features as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, pre-collision braking, pre-collision throttle management, and more. As its name suggests, EyeSight is Subaru's extra set of “eyes” on your young driver. The IIHS estimates that this technology has reduced the number of rear-end crashes with injuries by 85%. EyeSight comes standard on all 2021 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and Ascent models, and it is available on other vehicles in the Subaru lineup.
With so many other forms of technology available to them, today's teen drivers face the temptation of many distractions behind the wheel. To help keep your child safe while driving, Subaru presents its own technology to detect distracted or drowsy driving. Its DriverFocus distraction mitigation system uses visual and auditory alerts to snap the driver's attention back to the road ahead. The DriverFocus system requires the EyeSight technology.
Other technologies such as electronic stability control are among the many reasons Consumer Reports considers the Subaru Crosstrek an ideal choice for teen drivers — even a pre-owned Crosstrek dating back to the 2018 model year. Whether your teen drives a later-model used Subaru or a brand-new one, you can be confident in its safety and reliability.
Regardless of the Subaru you select for your young driver, you can be confident it will meet the four criteria we mentioned. Browse our inventory at Huffines Subaru Corinth to find the features you and your teen want. You can even enjoy the convenience of buying from home for a safe, convenient shopping experience.
Image via Flickr by State Farm
