Personal picks: Best cars for college

Aug 19, 2011 10:15 AM

As summer winds down, many families are preparing to send their teens off to college. Cruising off to the world of academia, it is important to make a smart decision on a reliable car that can be counted on for errands and journeys home. We maintain a list of the best cars for teens that can be a good guide, but the Cars team has additional thoughts on cars specifically for college. Below are our personal picks for campus duty.

Jeff Bartlett: College needs are a bit different than in high school, where safety and cost trump all. For college, reliability is critical. There is precious time for anything beyond academics and endless socializing. Fuel economy is essential, as fill-ups drain from the precious food fund. And parking is ever a concern, making a small footprint key. Living in New England, I would gravitate toward a used sport-cute, such as the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4. They each provide decent passenger space for mall runs with friends, cargo flexibility for Ikea shopping, and the AWD can add confidence in returning home during winter months. Stretch to buy a model from recent years with stability control, and it will not only be relatively safe, but the vehicle should last past college and into your first real job.

Eric Evarts: College students move a lot and they don’t have much money. They also spend an inordinate amount of time schlepping back and forth home from school—often to do laundry. So not only do they need something with good cargo space and an easy-access hatchback, they’ll appreciate something fuel efficient and comfortable for those long trips. And Mom and Dad will appreciate sending them away in something safe. For that, I’d recommend a used Volkswagen Golf, from 2007 and newer. There’s a reason it’s been a top-selling car in Europe for decades. It’s got plenty of space inside the hatch with the rear seats folded down; it’s one of the few small cars that’s truly comfortable and quiet inside; and electronic stability control has been offered for years. Starting with the 2007 redesign, reliability was even above average. With a Golf, your kids can be cool and practical. There’s no reason a college car has to be a penalty box.

Tom Mutchler: My college car was a hand-me-down 1981 Buick Electra. Gas was cheap, the car was big, and the price was right. Thinking back to what I really used that car for, my pick now would be a used current-generation Scion xB. Easy to park in tight spots, important for trying to park in the rare free parking on campus. Lots of room inside for the annual move or hauling around the outing club on a backpacking trip. Front-wheel-drive and stability control would have been nice for those Rochester winters. Its $10K price and great reliability should keep costs under control, and it should last several years after graduation too. True, fuel economy of the later xB’s isn’t great, but it’s a lot better than feeding an old V8 velour-lined loungemobile.

Mike Quincy: Being a huge music fan, I spent a good portion of my summer earnings on stereo equipment. And I then spent much of my college years walking around the dorm borrowing music. So I’m with Tom on this one: a vehicle that will hold lots of stuff (such as stereo speakers) during the move-in/move-out hassles would top my list. My boxmobile choice, though, would be the Kia Soul, which I find a bit more interesting to drive and look at than the xB. The Soul also has lots of room inside and good visibility. For a bit more money, I might also look for a used, late-model Volvo XC70 wagon, which is comfortable, carries lots of cargo, and is loaded with safety features.

Jim Travers: With overall fuel economy of 33-mpg in our testing, safety features including electronic stability control, and Hondaesque bulletproof reliability, the Fit meets the basic requirements for admission to the university of your choice. Add to that hatchback versatility, a small footprint for easy maneuverability and parking, and the Fit’s trademark flip-and-fold backseat that does double duty carrying passengers or bulky items like a bicycle, and you’ve got a college-bound transport that just might make the Dean’s list.