Check out these new-ish models which appear with regularity on used car lots
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So they’ve gone and done it, eh? They studied that driving handbook, took the written test, and then handled the road portion of their exam. Heck, they even managed to ace parking the thing between a complicated series of sticks and cones. Huzzah!
Rewarded with a fresh plastic card allowing them to drive on Canada’s roads, it isn’t long before the conversation turns to wheels — namely, what sort of car is the best for teenagers or new drivers navigating their first Canadian winter? We add the ‘new drivers’ portion to our description because there are rafts of people not from the Gen Z era who are sliding behind the wheel for their first crack at driving. A family member of this Newfoundland-born author didn’t elect to get his license until nearly his third decade on this planet, whilst another was well into her 50s before taking the helm, both for wildly different (but valid) reasons.
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All of this is written with one eye on the fact that someone’s first car may simply be whatever is already in the driveway. Not everyone is #blessed with the financial ability to take on a new payment or drop a few bucks on a beater, especially in an age of inflation and rapidly increasing prices of basic necessities.
Prevailing so-called ‘wisdom’ in certain corners of the internet decree that such drivers need to cut their teeth on something with more miles on it than the space shuttle, with bonus points if the thing has precisely zero creature comforts. Trouble is, that view is often espoused by folks living in places where snow and cold weather are foreign concepts; finding a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am or an ‘03 Ford Taurus for a pittance in the Mojave Desert isn’t a stretch of the imagination. And, hey, good for them.
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3.80
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MSRP $33,685 to $45,305
3.80
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MSRP $36,975 to $43,375
3.25
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MSRP $24,520 to $32,840
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MSRP $24,820
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MSRP $27,740 to $37,215
But one glance at the Canadian weather map as this is being written in mid-December suggests a different set of priorities. Basic safety gear is a must and, despite our occasional protestations about the ever increasing weight of new cars, there’s little argument that occupants of newer rigs enjoy far better crash protection than what’s found in horrible little econoboxes from past decades.
So — what to buy? The teenage crowd probably wants something cool, parents and family members likely want something that’s safe, while the insurance companies seem to prefer these types of drivers to not have anything at all. We’ll leave the latter topic as a subject for a future rant, if you will beg our pardon.
The argument for finding something which can be purchased for less than the average amount on a Costco receipt is one which has been made for years. In fact, that’s exactly what this author did for his own teenage son, finding a decade-old Hyundai Elantra with 350,000 clicks on the clock parked roadside with a sign in its window advertising it for a thousand bucks. After buying it for $800, investing about $300 in replacement parts for brakes and suspension, and spending a day with a polishing compound, the young man had a set of safe and reliable wheels with which to get to school and probably do other things his father would rather not imagine. He’s still driving it over a year later and now has nearly 400,000 km on the odometer.
It is worth acknowledging this approach is actually one of luxury and good fortune, despite the car’s purchase price. This writer has the space and ability to wrench on vehicles, something not everyone enjoys. Three hundred bucks in parts is one thing but there would easily have been many multiples of that sum in labour costs had a professional mechanic been required. Also, if it took me two days to install a steering knuckle, Young Man could simply take my car to school; it didn’t matter if his was out of action for 48 hours whilst I dallied around looking for a 32 mm socket that I haven’t used since my demolition derby days. Not everyone is so fortunate, leading to your author’s firm opinion that, ironically, sometimes a person has to be in a privileged situation to have a crappy car; being able to let it sit and drive something else whilst fixing it on one’s own is different than shelling out big bucks to ensure a family has wheels so they can make it to a job at which they can’t afford to miss days.
If you want a true paradox of life, there it is.
After that unintentional sojourn into philosophy, let’s consider a few new-ish models which appear with regularity on used car lots. These are modern enough to incorporate typical safety gear which will help new drivers keep the thing shiny side up when the weather turns foul; plus, some are even offered with all-wheel drive.
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Suggesting a Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic is akin to suggesting cereal for breakfast: predictable, safe, reliable, and sometimes a bit bland. Nevertheless, the Civic and Corolla are good choices for new drivers because of those reasons, not in spite of them. Late model examples can be had as a hybrid and all-wheel drive is an option if you look hard enough. Popularity means they retain value, of course, though some have begun to drift under the $20,000 mark depending on mileage. Bank on a $400 per month payment for the next five years if you’re shopping these criteria but far less for a decade-old example shown above.
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An oft-overlooked option is all-wheel drive variants of the second-generation Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger. These won’t make for great cars in tight city spaces but everyone else can revel in the large cabin and rafts of safety features. The 3.6L V6 engine doesn’t burn as much fuel as one might assume; this author regularly got better than 8.0 L/100 km in his decade-old example. They’re easy to work on and cheap to maintain. Plus, they simply look cool, lending plenty of street cred to whoever’s behind the wheel. This will satisfy at least one prerequisite of the teenager crowd.
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The little Mazda CX-3 might not have been around new car showrooms for long thanks to its diminutive nature but it makes a strong case for itself on the used car market. Slightly hurt by the abandonment of its nameplate in favour of the CX-30, the CX-3 is a pert option so long as one is not hauling home massive loads from an antique store every single day. Seeking out a first-gen CX-5 is also a good idea, since those were great when new and have been around long enough to be very affordable in the second-hand market.
And with any used car, hire a trusted mechanic to give the thing a once over before handing over any cash. It can be tough to coordinate those appointments, and some sellers may be recalcitrant to play along, but a quick inspection can save a world of headaches down the road.
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2021 Castrol-Wakefield Automotive Writing Award, runner-up
Runner Up – 2023 AJAC Adventure and Travel Journalism Award presented by Genesis Canada
Winner – 2023 AJAC Road Safety Journalism Award presented by Volvo Canada
Email: matthewkguy@hotmail.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthewkguy
Instagram: @DudeDrivesCars
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