Wow ~ to be 17 again
.
I'm torn between saying any old Ford Mercury Panther platform because they're well engineered and built, of a pickup truck but pickups roll over easily and are not actually very safe in any collision .
I had this same dilemma 30 years ago and wound up making my son save up and pay for his own car and insurance .
He bought a 1963 VW Beetle and never wrecked it in spite of making it _
very_ fast .
After it was stolen he bought a Acura Integra and wrecked it several times in his 20's....
Consider paying for him to have professional driver training .
I wish you the very best .