Find the Best Car Deals Near You ⤵
12 Best Cars for Graduates
May 29, 2014
'Tis the season for sunshine, BBQs and graduations. If you have a student graduating from either high school or college this year, chances are good they may be needing a reliable car.
If your new graduate is looking for a vehicle of their very own -- which many times will also be the first vehicle they will ever own -- you're in luck -- Forbes recently put together a list of what they consider the top 12 vehicles for new graduates. These 2011 used cars -- including the Buick LaCrosse, Ford Taurus, and Honda Element -- are all top picks when it comes to safety and reliability, and are all picked with a budget in mind.
| Rank | Vehicle (2011 Models) | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buick LaCrosse | $16,763-$22,901 |
| 2 | Chevrolet Volt | $20,015 |
| 3 | Ford Taurus | $17,323-$24,450 |
| 4 | Honda Civic | $11,908-$16,980 |
| 5 | Honda Element | $19,252-$22,002 |
| 6 | Jeep Patriot | $14,810-$17,700 |
| 7 | Kia Sportage | $16,035-$23,153 |
| 8 | Kia Soul | $12,379-$15,433 |
| 9 | Lincoln MKZ | $18,685 |
| 10 | Scion xB | $14,819-$15,673 |
| 11 | Toyota Corolla | $14,067-$15,659 |
| 12 | Toyota Tundra | $19,630-$20,016 |
Signup for The Weekly Newsletter
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
August 2026
- Best 0% Finance Deals August 2026 Aug 06, 2026
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Aug 06, 2026
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Aug 06, 2026
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Aug 06, 2026
July 2026
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Jul 30, 2026
- Best Car Deals by Category Jul 30, 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Right Now Jul 30, 2026
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Jul 30, 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Jul 23, 2026
- All SUV Lease Deals Compared July 2026 Jul 23, 2026
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars July 2026 Jul 23, 2026
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Jul 23, 2026
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Jul 09, 2026
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!
