Top 3 Best Used First Cars for Your Teen Driver

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Choosing the right first used car for your teen driver is a huge responsibility. Teen drivers who are learning to drive need vehicles that are reliable. Spending a lot of money on your teen’s first car could prove to be a costly mistake. Even used cars can be extremely pricey these days. Here are three great used cars that are perfect for your teen’s first ride.

The Honda Civic: A legendary first car

The Honda Civic | Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Honda Civics were once the most popular compact sedans in America. Why? The Civic has been affordable and reliable for decades. The Honda Civic is a great first car for your teen because it is fast enough to avoid being boring without being dangerous. The Civic is a staple in car culture.

Japanese automaker Honda has a reputation for producing long-lasting vehicles with affordable parts. If your teen does happen to bang up their Civic, it’ll be much cheaper to fix than cars from automakers like BMW. A used Honda Civic purchase with decent mileage won’t break the bank either. The Civic is truly an awesome gateway into driving and car ownership. According to iSeeCars, the average used Civic from its last three model years usually costs under $20,000.

Lexus ES350: Best first car for your teen auto enthusiast

Interior of a Lexus ES 350.
Interior of a Lexus ES 350 | Lexus

Buying a first car can be especially challenging when your teenager knows a thing or two about cars. When they’ve been good and insist on something with some decent performance specs, it’s time to pull out the big guns. Lexus, the performance wing of Toyota, has a great lineup if you want to put your teen in something a little more luxurious.

The Lexus ES350 is an amazing used car. It provides a smooth, quiet ride, and all used models released within the last five years will make at least 268 horsepower. The Lexus ES350 also has a luxurious interior. Lexus models tend to be reliable, thanks to their parent company. You can find used Lexus ES 350s from 2018 for under $30,000 with decent mileage. This may seem like a lot of money to spend on a first car, but the ES350 is a highly-rated luxury car with a powerful V6 engine.

Honda Accord: The best of both worlds

A silver 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid EX-L driving, the 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid is the best used hybrid under $20,000
2015 Honda Accord Hybrid EX-L | Honda

Honda appears twice on this list because the Japanese automaker knows how to build a great driver-centric car. The Honda Accord is the best of both worlds if you are looking for a reliable, nice used car for your teen that is also affordable. The Accord is one of the best used first cars for your teen because it is a step up from the Honda Civic without being overpriced.

The Honda Accord isn’t the Lexus ES350, but it has more zip to it than many vehicles in its vehicle class. Honda Accords that were released in the last five years all make at least 185 horsepower. Accords come in a variety of great trims that offer more comfort and speed. Used Honda Accords released within the last three years can be purchased for under $24,000 with decent mileage.

First cars are memorable, and the memories associated with them aren’t always happy ones. Do your kids a favor and help them make great memories with their first car by choosing something that you are both happy with. You don’t have to forego luxury and performance because of a tight budget if you know the types of used cars that offer great value.

RELATED: Cars to Buy Your Teen That You’ll Enjoy Driving Too

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Audi Design Chief Envisions Car Interior of the Future

by Gabrielle DeSantis

With the age of self-driving electric vehicles on the horizon, many automakers are busy retooling and strategizing for the next era of mobility. True to its mantra of “Progress through Technology”, Audi has been developing a fleet of battery-powered e-tron crossover SUVs and sedans, while its recent concept cars have foreshadowed the inevitable launch of fully autonomous vehicles in the near future. Now in a recent interview, lead Audi designer Marc Lichte offered insight on how these emerging technologies could reshape the car interior as we know it.

Audi AI:CON concept interior | Audi

Shifting to an inside-out approach

From Lichte’s perspective, vehicles of the past have focused on exterior and powertrain considerations first, leaving interior designers to make do with whatever cabin room was leftover. Recent advancements in battery-electric power have been a game-changer, however, creating more usable space inside and radically altering the rules for chassis layout. Combined with rapid developments in self-driving technology, the stage is set for a new era of car interior design.

“For users, the interior will become their personal free space; for us designers, it’s the new design nucleus of the car. So the design process begins with the question: who will be sitting in a new model and what all would that person want to do there? It’s a 180 degree turn. In the future, the car will no longer be designed from the outside in, but from the inside out,” said Lichte.

“Because automated driving is changing an elementary point that previously seemed unchangeable in all cars worldwide: in the future, drivers will no longer have to constantly keep their hands on the wheel. Without the task of actively driving, they will gain new freedoms and can structure their time themselves. And at the same time, we are also gaining – without a steering wheel or pedals – new design possibilities for the interior and, quite simply, more room and a better sense of space.”

Interiors and models will become more specialized

While a vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals might seem like a driving enthusiast’s worst nightmare, Lichte remains confident that a more inclusive scenario will unfold instead. He expressed confidence that future vehicle lineups will consist of highly specialized models, with sharp distinctions in their intended purpose.

“The time when the car was a compromise between a lot of contradictory demands or a kind of all-in-one solution is over. Instead, there will be more and more cars whose entire concepts are tailored for a particular purpose or use case, be it a short trip into a big city or a fast circuit around the racetrack,” said Lichte.

Audi AI:RACE concept car interior
Audi AI:RACE concept interior | Audi

This highly targeted and fragmented future was showcased in Audi concepts like the self-driving long-range luxury AI:CON and human driver-focused AI:RACE. Under this approach, autonomous models would be specifically designed for basic urban functionality or relaxed long-range transport, while dedicated sport variants could still exist for human drivers to control and enjoy.

Unique perspectives and possibilities

Regardless of how that exact theory pans out, the car interior is undoubtedly evolving with each passing year and will factor heavily in automotive developments going forward. After all, it’s where we spend the majority of our time in our vehicles and have the most direct connection with all they have to offer.

RELATED: The Audi e-tron GT has a Futuristic and Luxurious Interior

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Is it a Good Idea to Lower Your Car Using Its Factory Shock Absorbers?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Lowering your car will undoubtedly change its look and handling characteristics and there are a few different ways to get the job done. One cost-effective way is to install a set of lowering springs and sports shocks, while another route is to install a set of coilovers. Both methods can get a little pricey, so the best bang for your budget could be going with “option C” and throwing on a set of lowering springs with the car’s factory shock absorbers. But is that really a good idea?

What are lowering springs?

Eibach Pro Kit Lowering Springs | Eibach.com

Lowering springs are aftermarket replacements that are shorter and stiffer than a car’s factory springs. Their shorter height is what lowers the car’s suspension geometry and they should ideally be paired with an aftermarket shock absorber that’s meant to compensate for the spring’s reduced travel. Also, an aftermarket sport shock is typically better set up to absorb the stiffer ride that the aftermarket springs provide, both when cruising and when cornering.

Can I lower my car with stock shocks?

One popular method for lowering a car that most budget-minded enthusiasts opt for is using lowering springs with the car’s OEM (stock) shock absorbers. While this is indeed a very cost-effective way of lowering the car’s ride height, it doesn’t help much in terms of the car’s ride quality.

For example, if you install lowering springs that give the car a one-inch reduction in ride height, the shock absorbers will now sit at that lower height, which reduces the amount of travel. According to Shock Surplus, this “range of travel is typically firmer than the initial portion of the shock’s travel as a way to slow down the motion of suspension so that the ride is smoother over bumps and the vehicle is less likely to bottom out under normal conditions.”

The portion of the shock absorber that gets reduced by the lowering spring is the part that’s built for smoothing out the smaller bumps and dips in the road. By eliminating that part of the shock, the car’s ride quality will be harsher. Also, since the shock absorber will be sitting at a lower height, your car has a greater potential to bottom out over larger bumps.

Using stock shocks can make the ride bouncy

A row of lowered Honda S2000s
A row of lowered Honda S2000s | Joe Santos

When using lowering springs in conjunction with the OEM shocks, the car’s ride quality can also end up being bouncy. Since the factory shock absorbers aren’t valved to match the increased aftermarket spring’s rate, they won’t be able to dampen the motion of the spring properly. Additionally, installing a set of lowering springs on stock shock absorbers can also lead to premature wear.

Is it worth it to buy lowering springs?

Yes, however, do consider pairing them with a proper set of sport shock absorbers. There are plenty of brands in the aftermarket like Eibach, Bilstein, Koni, and even KYB that sell matching spring and shock sets for an array of applications. Although installing a set of lowering springs with your car’s stock shocks might sound tempting because it’s cheap, it could end up costing you a set of new shock absorbers in the long run. So, you might as well do it right the first time.

RELATED: Slammed Culture is the Coolest Trend That’s Ruining Your Car

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Richard Hammond Is Auctioning Some of His Classic Cars and Bikes

by Gabrielle DeSantis

High-capacity car and motorcycle collections are nothing new, especially in the celebrity world. But sometimes, celebrities have to trim their garages down. So, they either sell their wheels off or put them up for grabs at an auction. The latter instance is particularly intriguing if the owner in question happens to be a known car enthusiast. Say, for example, The Grand Tour co-host Richard Hammond.

“With a very heavy heart,” Richard Hammond is letting some of his classic cars and motorcycles go to fund his new business

Richard Hammond with his classic Ford Mustang | Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

No, the situation just described isn’t hypothetical. Richard Hammond really is auctioning off a selection of his classic cars and bikes, Hagerty says. And, ironically, it’s because of a classic car restoration company.

Earlier this year, Richard Hammond announced that he’d be hosting a new show on Discovery+. This show will feature him and a father-son team starting a classic car and motorcycle restoration business near Hammond’s Herefordshire, UK home. While the show is currently titled ‘Richard Hammond’s Workshop,’ the business is called The Smallest Cog. And the latter needs some start-up money.

So, to help fund The Smallest Cog, Richard Hammond is putting some of his classic cars and bikes up for auction. It wasn’t an easy decision for him to make, CarThrottle notes, as the vehicles in question “’have a great deal of personal sentimental value.’” But the sale will let the company give “life back to countless other classic vehicles,” he says.

Which of Richard Hammond’s classic cars and bikes will be up for auction?

Richard Hammond's silver 1999 Lotus Esprit Sport 350
Richard Hammond’s 1999 Lotus Esprit Sport 350 | Silverstone Auctions

Not all of the vehicles Richard Hammond is auctioning off are classics. One of them, for instance, is a 1999 Lotus Esprit Sport 350, and another is a 2019 Norton Dominator 961 Street Limited Edition.

However, the Esprit Sport 350 is #5 of 48 examples and features a 350-bhp 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged flat-plane V8. And thanks to magnesium wheels, a carbon-fiber wing, and new body panels, it’s 187 pounds lighter than the ‘regular’ Esprit V8 GT. Meanwhile, the Norton Dominator is #50 of 50 examples, with Ohlins suspension, a handmade fuel tank, and upright handlebars. Richard Hammond bought it for his 50th birthday.

Richard Hammond's dark-green 1976 Kawasaki Z900 A4
Richard Hammond’s 1976 Kawasaki Z900 A4 | Silverstone Auctions

The classic cars and bikes coming up for sale, though, are intriguing in their own rights. The 1959 Bentley S2, for example, comes from the first year of the GM-sourced 6.2-liter V8. There’s also a 1969 Porsche 911T, a car Jay Leno owns and enjoys, too. And while it’s a UK-registered car, it was originally sold in California, so it has left-hand drive.

On the motorcycle side, Hammond’s 1976 Kawasaki Z900, aka Z1 900, is also hitting the auction block. So is his 1977 Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk1, which comes complete with a period fairing, clip-on bars, and rear-set foot controls. The auction also includes two pre-WWII motorcycles, a 1927 Sunbeam Model 2 and a 1932 Velocette KSS Mk1. Silverstone Auctions describes the latter as “the road-going equivalent of the successful KTT racers” that competed at the Isle of Man.

When can you start bidding?

Speaking of Silverstone Auctions, the auction house is handling the sale of Richard Hammond’s wheels. All eight cars and motorcycles are offered with no reserve, with the auction kicking off at 2 pm local time on August 1st, 2021. Hammond will be there in-person to introduce the lots, CarThrottle says. However, interested parties can register to bid online.

As for the Discovery+ show, there’s still no official launch date available. And the current name is a working title, too. Hopefully, though, this auction will give The Smallest Cog a solid running start.

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RELATED: Matchless: A Classic British Motorcycle Marque Worth Remembering

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