Can We Guess What Kind of Car You’re Getting for Your Kid?

Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Can We Guess What Kind of Car You’re Getting for Your Kid?
Image: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/DigitalVision/Getty Images

About This Quiz

There's a reason they call it a sweet sixteen; not only are kids moving into adulthood by this age, but they are also finally allowed to enjoy a new sense of freedom that comes with cruising along the open road — sans parents, of course! Mom and dad might remember the excitement of those years from their youth, but parents of teens are also facing a whole new host of emotions. There's fear for your child's safety, of course, but also worry over choosing the right car for your new driver ... and figuring out how you're going to pay for it — gulp!

Given the fact that teens spend most of their time in school, it's often left to mom and dad to shoulder the cost of adding a new vehicle to the family. This not only means figuring out how to handle the purchase price — which averages just under $10k for cars where teens are the primary driver, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — but also factoring in repairs, insurance and gas. And that's just the financial aspect! New drivers still need time to master the art of driving, which means parents also have to contend with the genuine threat of fender benders or serious accidents.

So will you bow to budget pressures and select an old beater, splurge on supercar or settle for something in between? See if we can guess what kind of car you'll buy your kid based on the results of this quiz!

1 - priority
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Be honest ... what's your number one priority when choosing a car for your kid?
Budget
Durability
Wow factor
Safety

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2 - road conditions
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What kind of road conditions will this new-to-you ride have to accommodate?
Mostly dry pavement
A variety, but nothing extreme
Who cares?
Off roading and heavy snow

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3 - how long
Terry Vine/DigitalVision/Getty Images
How long do you plan for your kid to keep driving this vehicle?
Til they're 18
As long as possible
As long as it looks good
A few years or so

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4 - the look
Carol Yepes/Moment/Getty Images
Tell us how much the look the car factors into your decision.
Not at all
Maybe a tiny bit
Gotta look good on the road
It'll just get covered with mud anyway.

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5 - carry cargo
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Does your kid have to carry around a lot of cargo?
Only the hubcaps if they fall off
Just groceries and stuff
No cargo room required
Yup, a whole lot

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6 - fix car or no
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Are you looking for a ride that's reliable or one that your kid can figure out how to fix up on his own?
Whatever's cheap
Something reliable
I just want horsepower.
Either way is fine.

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7 - buying advice
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Which of these resources do you look to for car-buying advice?
Craigslist
Consumer Reports
Hip Hop stars
Mud Life magazine

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8 - cost of insurance
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How does the cost of the insurance factor into your car-buying decision?
Rust buckets are cheap to insure.
It's only a partial factor.
It has no bearing.
Safety matters more than insurance costs.

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9 - personality teenager
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Can you tell us which of these words best describes your kid's personality?
Easy-going
Steady
Influencer
Outdoorsy

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10 - kid chipping in
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Will you be footing the entire cost of the car or is your kid chipping in?
My kid is buying it.
I'll handle it.
My kid's trust fund will foot the bill.
We'll split it.

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11 - driving skill
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Be honest ... how would you describe your kid's skill behind the wheel?
What skill?
Good, but always room for improvement
I don't know, but they love speed.
We're up to six accidents so far.

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12 - where are they driving
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What will your kid use the car for on an average day?
School and work
School and social activities
Winning friends and posing on Snapchat
Carrying heavy loads

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13 - driving siblings
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Now that you have another driver in the family, will you expect your kid to transport siblings?
Maybe occasionally
Yes, often
Nah, their driver will do that.
Not really

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14 - driving city
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Will most of the miles be city or highway?
A bit of both
Highway
City
Mostly dirt roads

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15 - gas pump
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Cars are getting more fuel-efficient than ever, but how much do gas costs factor into your decision?
Zero. My kid will pay for gas.
A lot. I'll be paying for the gas.
That's for my accountant to worry about.
It's less important than payload.

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16 - responsible kid driving
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Every kid is different. Where does yours fall on the responsibility scale?
Near the low end
Near the top
What does that have to do with cars?
'Bout the middle

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17 - new or used car
Barry Austin Photography/Photodisc/Getty Images
Got a preference between new vs. used cars for your young driver?
Used, definitely
Certified pre-owned is the way to go.
Ewww, no used cars!
It doesn't matter.

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18 - new car tech
Witthaya Prasongsin/Moment/Getty Images
Does your kid keep up on the latest car tech and features, or are they just looking to get around?
We need wheels and an engine.
We need safety features, not expensive sound systems.
We want the latest and greatest features.
We need a rugged suspension above all.

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19 - speedometer control
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Speeding is dangerous and leads to expensive fines. Do you want a car that keeps the speedometer under control?
A speedometer is a luxury feature.
I'd like text alerts when the car speeds.
You only get a ticket if you get caught.
A good truck can't go over 55.

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20 - BMW i8
Pixabay by Reza Qorbani
Tell us which of these models most closely resembles the ideal car you'd buy for your kid.
A flood sale special
Small Honda sedan
BMW i8
Ford F-150

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21 - spring break
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Road trip! Will your kid be driving their own car a long way for spring break?
My kid will be working during spring break.
Yeah, maybe to Florida
Please ... we'll take our plane.
Nah, but we live way out in the country.

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22 - winding road
Marin Tomas/Moment/Getty Images
Any long and winding roads or steep mountain bi-ways standing between your kid and their school?
Nope
There are a few.
I'll loan them the Range Rover if needed.
Yes, all kinds of crazy terrain

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23 - fixing car with kid
Colin Hawkins/Cultura/Getty Images
If you do a YouTube search, could you fix basic car problems for your kid?
Most likely
I could change the oil maybe.
That's what mechanics are for.
My kid can fix any ride.

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24 - where buying
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Going car shopping can be an exciting experience. Where do you have your heart set on buying that new car?
Wherever Craigslist sends me
Used car lot
Luxury dealer
Neighboring farm

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25 - safety
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Every parent wants their kid to stay safe, but where do you rank safety in this car buying process?
Well below price
It's near the top.
Eh ... whatever
It's neck and neck with cargo room.

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26 - how car fits
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Which of these best describes your opinion of how a car fits into your kid's life?
It gets them where they need to go.
It gets them where they need to go without breaking down.
It gets them where they need to go in style.
It gets them and their four-wheeler where they need to go.

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27 - hobbies or extracurriculars
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Does your kid have any hobbies or extracurriculars that might affect this purchase?
Just work
School sports
Shopping and Instagram
Lots of outdoor sports and camping

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28 - willing to spend
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Can you give us an idea of what you're willing to spend on a car for your teen driver?
As little as possible
$10,000 or so
The sky's the limit.
Maybe $15 to $20k

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29 - parenting philosophy
aldomurillo/E+/Getty Images
Which of these best captures your parenting philosophy?
I gave my kid a car, they can fix it up.
I'll sleep soundly knowing my kid is safe on the road.
I want my kid to have the hottest car around.
I want my kid to help transport stuff for me.

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30 - borrowing your kid's ride
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Alright, admit it ... do you ever plan on borrowing your kid's ride?
I hope not.
Maybe if my car is in the shop
Yeah, I'll take it for a spin.
Only if I'm moving or something

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You Got: