- Price: $19,295
- Gas mileage: 27 mpg city/38 mpg highway
It may not be a Mustang, but "thoroughly modern" describes the Ford Focus SE. Your teen will like that. Redesigned last year, its styling is up-to-date. Also earning it points as one of the best cars for teenagers is a healthy amount of technology as well as a cabin that is both well-made and comfortable.
As priced here, a 2-liter four-cylinder engine delivers 160 horsepower to the front wheels by way of a six-speed driver-shiftable automatic transmission.
A lot of stuff comes packed into the Focus SE model, such as keyless entry, trip computer, automatic headlamps, Bluetooth connectivity, Ford Sync voice-activated cellphone and audio controls, and a six-speaker audio system with iPod interface and satellite radio.