Starting college can be both an exciting and stressful period in one’s life. On top of registering for classes and relocating, you also have to consider how you’re going to get around. However, selecting the right car for college students can be daunting if you don’t know where to look.
If you’re a young adult getting ready to attend college, choosing an affordable, reliable, safe, and efficient car is essential. Additionally, you’ll want to look at modern cars equipped with the most up-to-date technology, like smartphone compatibility and a Wi-Fi hotspot, so that you can stay connected while driving. Finally, if you are a college student searching for a car, you must choose one with the lowest car insurance rates in its class.
Also, you need to figure out how much you can spend on a car. If you have student loans, you might not want to spend much on a vehicle. Depending on how much money you have saved and make, $2500 to $5000 is a reasonable amount for a student to spend on a car. The rule of thumb is that your total car expenses (this includes loan/lease payments, car insurance, and repairs) should be no more than 15% to 20% of your monthly budget.
To afford a car in college, there are some things you must do:
- Start saving, like yesterday!
- Make sure you have a steady income
- Get a cosigner
- Buy a used car
Here, we’ve compiled a list of the best cars for college students that you can buy today. Featuring everything from Honda to Kia, these are the top five best hatchbacks for college students in 2022.
Best cars for college students in 2022
Honda Fit: Best car for college students who haven’t embraced minimalism yet!
The Honda Fit is a cheerful little car that’s only offered as a hatchback. Hence, it’s an ideal car for college students who find parking a chore. With an MSRP of $17,000 for the base trim, the Honda Fit is affordable, making it among the cheapest cars to insure. With an average insurance cost of $1,400 per year, the Honda Fit falls below the national average insurance rate by $13.
What makes the Fit even more appealing are its EPA-rated mileage figures of 29 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway. But does the Fit offer enough space to, er… fit all your belongings while heading to college? Heck, yeah! Equipped with Honda’s patented Magic Seats, you can adjust all passenger seats in myriad ways to make up enough room for your vinyl collection.
Kia Soul: Best car for those who believe in not judging a book by its cover
The Soul from Korean carmaker Kia is another personal favorite of ours. Although a bit pricier than the Honda Fit, with an MSRP of $19,000 for the base trim, the Kia Soul offers as much cabin space as the Japanese hatchback. What’s more, it has a similar average car insurance rate as the Honda Fit, at $1,475 per year.
The Kia Soul may have a polarising design; however, it comes with a suite of safety features that could help you take advantage of car insurance discounts. Unfortunately, the base trim of the Soul lacks a few useful features, such as forward collision warning and blindspot monitoring, and you will have to fork out an additional $3,100 to upgrade to the S grade with said features.
Honda Civic: Best car for responsible students
The Civic has been Honda’s best-selling car for ages now, and it isn’t hard to see why. With several Kelley Blue Book Best Buy awards to its name and a combined fuel efficiency figure of 33 MPG, the Civic is a great car for college students willing to stretch their budget above $20,000.
With an MSRP of $21,900, even the base trim of the Civic boasts sporty handling combined with excellent fuel efficiency figures. All-new for 2022, the 11th generation of the Civic packs several safety features that helped it earn the highest rating of Good in all six crash safety tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Studies. Based on our research, we found this compact car from Honda to be affordable to insure as well, with an average annual car insurance rate of $1,600.
Toyota Yaris: Best car for college students who value safety
Offered as a hatchback and a sedan, the Yaris from Toyota competes with the Honda Fit listed above. This subcompact hatchback comes with a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions, making it an ideal choice for those who can’t drive stick. Further, even the base trim of the Yaris, which costs $15,650, comes with more safety features than the Honda Fit.
As standard, all MY 2022 Toyota Yaris’ get lane departure alerts, pre-collision avoidance systems, and automatic high beams. Sadly, it costs a bit more to insure than the Honda Fit, with an average annual insurance rate of $1,560. However, if fuel efficiency and connectivity on the go are what concerns you, the Yaris makes a case for itself with an EPA-rated 30MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway. And it even comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard!
MINI Cooper: Best car for those who want to stand out from the crowd
Praised for its retro styling, energetic performance, and sporty handling, the MINI Cooper is an excellent car for college students who love the thrill of driving. The MINI Cooper is ideal for those who prioritize style and performance over everything else. The Mini Cooper starts at just under $20,000, significantly more than the competition.
However, what you get in return is a handsome, if not all that spacious, cabin and 37 MPG on the highway! Sure it may not be big enough to move your belongings from your home to your dorm, but the styling more than makes up for it. You’ll be the talk of the campus if you drive around in one.
Regarding insurance rates, the MINI Cooper has an average annual rate of $1,597, which is higher for a car in its class. However, your insurance rate may vary as insurers use several factors, such as your age, driving record, and location, to determine your rate.
That said, there are several discounts you could avail of to lower the cost of your car insurance. The most sure-shot way of getting car insurance discounts is to be a good student or take a defensive driving course. Tap the banner below to get the most affordable car insurance in your state. Our car insurance rate calculator can offer the best quotes with the least amount of your private data! And best of all, it’s free for all!
Renée Martin is a travel and car expert who focuses on road and air travel in the U.S. For the past 6 years, she’s been helping make driving and trip planning easier and budget-friendly for everyday travelers.
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