I'm really considering the Honda Element for my soon-to-be-driving teenage soon. We live in a rural area and he wants to drive himself to his high school instead of taking the bus. I'd like him to be in a safe car. My husband is doing all he can to keep me from installing a rollcage (IMG:style_emoticons/default/s11.gif)

Is this a good car for a teenager?

I don't think there is any car that is "good" for a teenager - short of those OLD buicks that were more like land boats than cars. If you are looking for safety then this is probably as good as if not better than any. It gets good safety ratings and the 2007 comes with all the bells and whistles.

I think the Element is a great choice.

You don't want to get your son a speed racer and you want something that is safe.

I think Honda makes the best vehices all around and have actually considered leasing an Element after driving my sister-in-laws for two days. It handles really well and the interior is GREAT!! Teenagers tend to spill things much more often and with the interior being basically plastic, rubber and vinyl it's easy to clean and much better for wear and tear.

Just make sure he practices safe driving!

That is definitely a plus! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap.gif)

Does the cleaning aspect really matter that much. Most male teenagers (and teenagers in general) wait until you need a rake before they even consider cleaning (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) .

Ya really! Maybe I should making keeping it clean a condition of driving it.

Good idea! I think that we forget to tell our kids that the interior needs to be clean before we get them a car. Of course, when I first got my license, I wasn't given any car. However, I was allowed to use my step-dad's old piece of junk clunker that sat in the backyard. I don't think there was anything more damaging I could have done to that vehicle. I wonder if it was the one he had from when he was a teenager? LOL

My first car was a burnt orange chevy chevette. I didn't wash it because I was pretty sure it was the dirt holding it together. However, I'm teaching my kids that they have to take care of everything they have. We clean out the car everytime we go anywhere in it and we give it a quick wash weekly. If I start them now, then by the time they drive it will already be a habit. Now if I can just push the habit over into their rooms.

That's a good idea (IMG:style_emoticons/default/liebe011.gif)

I thought so myself. I had no idea what went into keeping a car clean when I got mine, and I'm just now beginning to get into the habit of keeping one clean. It's amazing how quickly the trash and mess can pile up. So I figure if I start my kids young, they will carry it with them.

I drove an Element and I loved it. It handles curves very well, but like most Hondas, it go very fast in a short amount of time. It's also a high roll-over risk, but I think it's much safer than other cars, like the Jeep Wrangler.

My first car was a tank! I drove an '83 Olds Cutlass with tee-tops! It was hideous, but my father thought that if I could learn to drive the big tank, then I would alright in anything else. I hated that thing! My next vehicle was a honda civic.

Those land boats are great. A friend of mine had one in college and we could comfortably fit a dozen people in it. Plus it was made of actual steel so there was little concern of injury!

Maybe I should put my son in one! Like the "Who's the Boss" episode when Tony Danza give his daughter a big yellow boat covered with reflectors!

The great thing is that it's not an expensive car AND insurance cost practically nothing. If I remember correctly, she had full coverage for about $100 per year.

For the Element? That would be great if insurance is cheaper for this car. I've heard horror stories about adding teenagers to insurance policies.

NOOOOOO! That was for the land boat. Newer cars cost WAY more. We just put a 2003 van on ours and it's costing 450 per month (that's with lots of discounts). I don't even want to imagine what a teenage boy is going to cost. Whew!

Gosh darn it! Guess I figured that anyway. I still want him in a newer reliable car. He'll be driving 20 miles one way to school. Oh, ya, and I decided he has to drive me there and back for at least six months, maybe longer depending on how he does, so he can be familiar with the highway.

You know you can install cameras and sensors in their cars now so that you can see or tell what they are doing. That way you can monitor them when they are out of sight and maybe they will behave with a little more caution.

That is such a good idea! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/liebe011.gif) My main worries are speeding and seatbelts. I can't understand why teenagers feel they have to drive fast. I dislike when adults speed, I'm guilty of it too, however, at least most adults have more experience on the road. (I have to say cruise control is my favorite device on my car, it keeps me from getting a ticket!)

Our new van has an alarm that sounds if you aren't wearing your seatbelt. Man is it annoying. It even gets my husband to wear his though, so it does it's job!