America’s Top Ten Gen Why Cars: Eight Are Not American

Edmunds compiled a list of the ten best cars “for teen drivers.” Edmunds did not pick the cars according to driftability or their magnetic force on chicks. Edmunds used criteria that should be on the minds of the people who usually buy those cars: Parents. As a parent, says Edmunds, “you’ll need to consider three factors above all others: safety, reliability and true cost to own.”

Once Edmunds was done with the list, it looked like a fresh arrival of exchange students. Except for a lone Malibu, all cars have foreign nameplates.

Four cars on the list are Japanese, two Korean, two German. Much-maligned blandmobiles, the 2009 Honda Accord and the likewise 2009 Toyota Camry, take top billing. The whole menu does not look anywhere close to Gran Turismo dreams. At closer inspection however … We’ll get to that.

For safety, Edmunds recommends midsize cars with five star crash ratings and not too much power. Edmunds is against SUVs and follows the AAA advice that SUVs are”more prone to roll over in extreme driving conditions.”

For reliability, Edmunds scoured CarMD’s yearly Vehicle Health Index. For true cost to own, Edmunds had to look no further than its own True Cost to Own tool.

And these are Edmunds’ top ten picks for generation why drivers:

What parents should buy for their kids


Number one: 2009 Honda Accord


Number two: 2009 Toyota Camry


Number three: 2010 Chevrolet Malibu