I was just checking out "The Car Connection" website, and looking through some old articles, and one came up about choosing a good car for your teen driver. I want you to read this, and I know they don't know what they're talking about.
Choose a model with good performance, but not high performance. You don't want your younger driver in an underpowered slug, because some power is necessary for safe passing maneuvers and merging. On the other hand, it shouldn't have so much power that encourages spirited driving, if not reckless driving. Avoid older diesel models and midsize four-cylinder cars from the 1980s, for example.
My rebuttal...
Now, I don't know what older diesel models they are referring to, but the 300SD and 300D have plenty of spirit for passing manuvers and freeway omramps for me. Now, an auto tranny W115 or W123 200D 220D or 240D with a/c on full blast may be another story.
Newer is generally better. Contrary to the popular opinion of 'Detroit Iron' advocates, a '77 Chevy Malibu doesn't provide better protection than a '97 Chevy Lumina. Newer models offer more safety features, plus they have better structural crash protection (i.e. the car will sacrifice itself for the driver, and not the other way around). Newer cars are also less likely to suffer from stalling problems or other component failures that might cause a lack of control, especially for inexperienced drivers. Worthwhile safety features to look for on late-model cars include anti-lock brakes and dual airbags
The W123 and W126 are among some of the safest cars out there. Now, newer cars may be safe with all those ABS and airbag systems, but the older cars are constructed to be just as safe as newer cars without all those gadgets.
You can read the rest of the article at:
http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?n=172&sid=172&article=3822
-Joe