Here are our choices for the 10 cars most suited to today's recent graduates.
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2010 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible
If you're among the roughly 1.5 million people who will graduate from college this year, we congratulate you. Now it's time to roll up your sleeves, defy the post-recession odds and land a decent job. It's also time to consider buying your first brand-new car.
That unreliable clunker you've been keeping on life support since sophomore year just isn't going to cut it in a world where tardiness can get you fired and appearances are important. While a nice used car can be a smart financial move, it's currently a seller's market when dealing in pre-owned vehicles. Thus, prices for well-maintained older models have been steadily rising and supply is growing smaller.
The opposite is true when it comes to buying a new vehicle. Supplies are plentiful, carmakers are cranking up zero-percent financing and subsidized leases to boost lagging sales, and struggling dealers are making deeper concessions than ever before.
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2011 Ford Mustang
But what's it going to be? Twenty-something styles run the gamut from ultraconservative to trendy, and so do their auto preferences. Fashion-conscious clothing designers or budding architects may have dreamed of a smart-looking MINI Cooper since their first day in Drafting 101. A perky public-relations student with well-honed social networking skills and an aggressive personality might favor a muscular Ford Mustang. And a young litigator might like the prestige and sporting nature of a BMW 1-Series.
While tastes are varied in this youthful demographic, two things are certain. First is that today's best and brightest probably won't buy the car, or even the brand, that mom and dad were loyal to.
"First-time buyers used to be heavily influenced by what their family owned," says Jesse Toprak, chief industry analyst for TrueCar, a car-price comparison company. "Now the opposite is happening: Younger buyers are influencing their parents' car choices."
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2010 BMW 1-Series
Thankfully, younger buyers have more choices than their parents did. Even budget cars offer reliability and come with warranties that the older generation couldn't have dreamed of — so first-timers don't have to settle.
The second consistency among first-time buyers: When it comes to cars, they are less frivolous than their parents were back in the day. Where college grads were once known for blowing their savings on a balky yet beautiful Triumph convertible, "Younger buyers have a better understanding today of how to spend their money," Toprak says. "Since the recession started, it's more about rational choices, with less emphasis on frills and more on value."
To help you find the right car for your position and personality, here are our choices for the 10 best cars for first-time buyers — each matched, with tongue slightly in cheek, with the college degree or job description of its owner. All but one of the cars cost less than $22,000 and, for the most part, they all offer killer looks, zesty performance and date-snaring charms.
Honda Insight
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2010 Honda Insight
Perfect for: public policy/international relations grad, scientist/researcher
Did you know that the European Union and other governments are considering limiting cars to 130 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer driven? Of course you did — that's the kind of thing you studied in college. Whether you're a budding scientist or a Washington-bound policy wonk, the Honda Insight lets you put your money where your mouth is on the environment. More fun to drive than the Toyota Prius, the Insight also blows away its federal estimate of just 41 mpg in combined city and highway driving; we've managed 50 mpg in the Insight with no special effort.
Read: Review of the 2010 Honda Insight
Nissan Altima
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2010 Nissan Altima
Perfect for: CPA/financial planner, psychologist, marital scientist
You've just begun paying off the student loans, but you're the plan-ahead type, already penciling in the perfect mate and kids, the picket-fence house — and the car. A nice, roomy, family sedan, but nothing stodgy; you're not your parents, after all. The Nissan Altima is a great choice. It is stylish and surprisingly sporty, but also practical and fuel-efficient, especially the hybrid version, which delivers 34 mpg in combined city and highway driving.
Compare: Nissan Altima vs. Chevrolet Malibu vs. Hyundai Sonata
Jeep Wrangler
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2010 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Perfect for: parks and recreation major, ski-patroller, lifeguard
Some people wrap up a degree but aren't quite ready to grow up or to be stuck inside a cubicle. Starting at barely $21,000, the Jeep Wrangler's iconic styling makes today's crossover SUVs look downright wimpy — and that's even before the Jeep starts climbing mountainsides and fording streams. While the Jeep is still a hard-core 4-wheeler, it's become slightly more civilized, adding the popular 4-door Unlimited model, along with a navigation system, music-storing hard drive and other features.
Bing: See How You Can Customize Your Jeep Wrangler
MINI Cooper
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2010 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible
Perfect for: fashion designer, architect, journalist
The official car of Hipsterville, USA, the MINI Cooper proliferates in every college town and urban magnet for the young and style-conscious. It's hard to find a car that combines this much style, driving fun and efficiency, at up to 37 mpg highway. The MINI is available in standard, convertible and Clubman body styles, the latter a stretched version with a bigger back seat that can help young couples segue straight to parenthood.
Read: Safety Ratings of the MINI Cooper
Kia Forte
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2010 Kia Forte Koup
Perfect for: teacher, nurse, social worker, Ph.D. candidate
You went to school to make a contribution, not to rake in bucks right after graduation, so your new car should be about maximizing value. The new Kia Forte sedan and its 2-door Koup version are among the smartest-looking and best-featured cars in the economy class, with performance to match anything shy of the Mazda3. Yet the Kia models cost less and deliver an unbeatable warranty that includes three years of roadside service — something to consider for grads who've moved alone to a new town.
Mazda Mazda3
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2010 Mazda Mazda3
Perfect for: engineer, Web designer, systems analyst
Your tech job gives you a special appreciation for good design and engineering, so your data crunching concludes that the Mazda3 is the killer app of affordable compacts, whether it's the sedan or the practical hatchback. The Mazda just feels more sporty and sophisticated than its rivals, with a terrier's grip on the road and a notably well-finished interior. It's a car that you won't be embarrassed to show to your BMW-driving boss. You might even pass her on the way home.
Read: 2010 Mazda Mazda3 — Flash Drive
Ford Mustang
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2011 Ford Mustang
Perfect for: actor/musician, hotel and hospitality manager
Ideal timing for Mustang fans: The latest model is the best modern pony car yet, with a sharper cabin, slicker handling and a pair of terrific new engines: the GT's 5.0-liter 412-horsepower V8 and a new V6 that combines 305 horsepower with a remarkable 31 mpg highway. There's also a convertible 'Stang, ideal for grads whose new job takes them to warm weather climes. Now all you need is a vacation.
Compare: Ford Mustang vs. Nissan Z vs. Chevrolet Camaro
BMW 1-Series
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2010 BMW 1-Series 135i
Perfect for: doctor, attorney, business-school grad
Hey, don't begrudge them: Some graduates instantly land a job that pays real money. The BMW 1-Series makes a great reward for all those years of hard work. The most affordable BMW is a spunky 4-seat coupe or convertible with a choice of two spectacular sixes, including a twin-turbocharged smoothie with 300 horsepower. The 1-Series also boasts surprisingly generous trunk space, perfect for weekend getaways after those 70-hour workweeks.
Compare: BMW 1-Series vs. Audi A3 vs. Acura TSX
Toyota RAV4
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2010 Toyota RAV4
Perfect for: administrative assistant today, executive suite tomorrow
Entry-level college grads are often underestimated by their elders, and so is the Toyota RAV4. The RAV4 delivers a best-in-class combo of space efficiency, smart ergonomics (including a split second-row seat that slides 6.5 inches fore and aft) and the kind of sporty road manners not usually associated with a Toyota. While the 4-cylinder version costs less, it's the 3.5-liter V6 that really shines. It delivers 269 horsepower - 90 more than the 4-cylinder - yet still delivers a best-in-class 27 mpg highway.
Compare: Toyota Rav4 vs. Honda CR-V vs. Ford Escape
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
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2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Perfect for: public relations/marketer, assistant producer
You're the extroverted, image-conscious type, and you'd love a sports car to match — but you can't afford a Nissan Z, let alone a Porsche. Try the Hyundai Genesis, and don't snicker at the Hyundai badge. Starting at less than $22,000, the Genesis Coupe will have your friends and colleagues thinking you're already pulling down a bonus. Get them inside, and they'll think you're taking race-driver lessons on the side: The curvaceous, rear-wheel-drive Genesis is as fast and frisky as it looks, especially equipped with the burly 306-horsepower V6 engine.
Discuss: What was (is) your first-job car? What factors made you choose it and how was the outcome — dreamboat or a shipwreck?
A Michigan native forged and raised in Detroit and a former auto critic at the Detroit Free Press, Lawrence Ulrich now lives in Brooklyn, New York. His reviews and features appear regularly in The New York Times, Robb Report, Popular Science and Travel + Leisure Golf.
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