davepl

I'm looking at new vehicles for a brand-new teenage male 16 year old driver. Yeah, it's crazy that I'm buying a brand new vehicle, I get that. That's not what my question is about. We live in an area where he'll have to drive a a dangerous undivided highway at night, and one of his team/school-mates became pink mist about a year ago on this same road, so I'm a little nervous.

Probably the partial-offset crash is my biggest worry, but hitting an F-350 is always a possibility, so I'm wondering just about raw vehicle size/weight.

I'm trying to figure out how much difference there is in safety between a Tahoe and a Grand Cherokee. Not that a Tahoe will crash into a Grand Cherokee, but either of them vs an F-150 for example.

Both have identical crash test ratings in all categories, so I'd expect them to be pretty close. But the Tahoe probably outweighs the Cherokee by about 800 pounds.

Obviously if I'm going to spend that kind of money I want the safest choice. Normally I wouldn't let him drop below the full half-ton segment (ie: Tahoe/Expedition/etc) but an LTZ is pushing $72K MSRP and that's really on the ragged edge of what I want to spend, so am considering the Grand Cherokee as well which can be had for less.

I've done all the other stuff I can do (setting a good example, defensive driving schools, dozens of hours of driving with us, etc), so now it's down to the vehicle itself.

lionsfan5454

Also take into account avoiding a crash. After all, the easiest way to survive a crash is to not get into one. A Tahoe isn't going to be as nimble as a Grand Cherokee.

Vette_Minded

Why not just buy him an F350 then?

davepl

Good point - the GC also has automatic braking which the Tahoe doesn't. I'm not sold entirely on it (I think an alert system is sufficient for most) but it has been shown to reduce insurance claims by 20% of something.

Ideally he's smart enough not to dork with his phone while driving, but automatic braking might be good for teens in that sense...

Edit: maybe the Tahoe does, it has "collision avoidance braking".

pappy.72

If you really loved him...Volvo. Very safe.

If you really really loved him...Subaru WRX STi with a full roll cage. Safe and fun.

J3TVETTE

Used expedition for $10k and call it a day.

BrandensBeast

My mom had a 99 grand cherokee laredo, amazing well built car and was an absolute BEAST in the snow, better then anything else in our driveway (two 4 wheel drive trucks) it had the 4.7L and now my uncle daily drives it 300 miles a week and has never had a problem with it. I've heard the new ones cost WAY to much for what you get, but that's about all I can say about the new ones If you're willing to spend that much money, why not get a 4 Runner? Heard those are bullet proof and hold their value extremely well (compared to the jeeps anyway) Out of curiosity why not a truck? A truck will always be useful (not sure how less safe they rank compared to SUV's)

BrandensBeast

I agree with that logic, but with that logic might aswell say, get him a Vette, he can avoid a accident quicker

Romulus

$72k vehicle for a brand new driver. jesus. You do realize that truck is no different than the LS that retails for 47k? (quick google search) And if you're considering jeeps, you can get a gently used WK2 for $2x,xxx?

Comical. It reminds me of a girl I knew back in high school. Her dad bought her a brand new suburban just so "if she got in a wreck, she would at least have the heaviest vehicle and crush the other one." I wanted to punch him in the face for having that mentality.

She wound up rolling it going down the highway.. single vehicle accident, simply let one wheel drift off the road and overcorrected. God forbid you teach your child how to drive. Better to just feel good about blowing tens of thousands of dollars on mindless logic than do something that makes a difference.

FAUEE

As someone who is younger, let me give you some advice.

If my dad gave me a $50k car, the first thing I'd do is go ride that bitch out like I was hot **** everywhere I could, because you just told me I was in fact, hot ****. Every girl I saw, I'd be trying to impress. Burnouts, fast rides, everything I could do to get her to take her top off. That's just how hormones work, and I know that everyone thinks their little angel wouldn't be like that, but I'm here to tell you it's bullshit, and we would.

You want him to be safe, get him something boring, safe, and lower powered. Get him a Volvo wagon, or a Subaru Outback, or a CR-V or something like that. The testosterone will be enough to get him going crazy, especially since you're giving him a new car. At least you don't need to give him something that he will have a reason to try to show off in.

FWIW, if you're worried about him getting hid head on by an F350, that's a very valid concern, because he's probably not walking away from a head on, 60 on 60 crash with an F350 in no matter what you buy him except maybe a M1 Abrams. That's the equivalent (more or less) of running it headfirst into a wall at 120. Let alone the fact that everyone goes 75+ in situations like that, you're talking about a 150 into a wall situation. If you want to keep him save, get some something small and response like a Civic so he can recognize the danger and get out of the way, because that impact is going to kill him regardless of how big and expensive of a vehicle you buy him.

lionsfan5454

F350 (or any other big ol' truck) has dismal braking performance, can't turn to save its life, and is prone to rollover. Then, once it rolls over, it's much more likely for the roof to collapse than your average sedan.

Not every crash is a head on accident. In fact, the OP should be reminded that the vast majority of auto fatalities are single vehicle crashes, not big truck vs car "combat".

I'd probably be looking to buy my kid the highest crash rated mid to full sized sedan. Ford Taurus or something like that.

However... I think the OP likes the idea of the ego stroke of buying his boy a super bad *** ride so that's where this is headed.

davepl

You're an idiot. If that's the case I'd give him my black Range Rover Autobiography Supercharged and then buy myself a new one. Or I'd get him the SRT Blackout Edition, a Subaru WRXTi 77 B4, or something "cool" like that.

His older brother got a new vehicle when he turned 16 too... a Silverado LTZ. Is that a "super bad ***" ride too or does it just annoy you because it's beyond the level you're providing for yours at? I was ambivalent about talking about it in a public forum, and that's precisely why. Don't try to get in my head, it's above your operating level.

The fact that it still looks like new and hasn't been totalled tells me I made a good choice.

Go read the list of safety features that are ONLY in the LTZ, it's extensive. None of them are in the LS. Besides, if I were in the market for an LS, I'd buy a 3-year old LTZ anyway, as that's how I operate. But in this case you need to be in the 2015-later generation of the truck for the current chassis and you need to actually be in the Tahoe before it monitors forward traffic at all, and in the LTZ before it offers collision mitigation braking, and... you know what?

I don't owe anyone an explanation.

If the conversation returns to vehicle safety I'll take part. If it's just whining about expensive purchases, you all can do that without me even being here.

BajaGTO

lionsfan5454

Bobby95

The Jeep will be MUCH safer.

Because it'll be broke...

Tell me all your "I had a Jeep that had eleventy-dozen thousand miles on it" stories you want. I've been there, done that. Worst vehicle I've ever owned, and it's not even close. It's a POS. And it's not just my experience- Jeep's are consistently on the "Most Unreliable Vehicles" lists...

davepl

Good, I don't like Mr. NoPluto either. That'll keep me mad for another hour ;-)

White Out

I really like the way the new GM full size trucks/suvs drive. But they are HUGE, it would likely be more useable to have GC.

As for safety, I would look elsewhere because body on frame isn't the best for safety. The GM fullsize will crush just about anything it runs into, but that doesn't mean the shock won't take effect on the occupants. Personally, I'd look into the newest generation of chassis from Germany or Volvo/Subaru. No idea what their crash rating is, but the Macan and small Land Rover look fantastic. Colorado and Ridgeline are new chassis' so they might be safe and slightly more manageable than the Tahoe.

My Mom talked my Dad into buying me a brand new Yukon when I turned 16 because it was safe. When the Yukon arrived, my Dad took it and I ended up with a 10 year old van. lol

From 16 year old me: Jeep will end up off road. Tahoe probably will too. Tahoe can't do burnouts, but can drift and do donuts quite well. Will likely get jumped. If there are any road trips, expect it to be used. Probably will be kept as clean as possible (if he cares about it) and the back of it makes for a great mobile mattress.

Romulus

Well, took a gander at chevy's website and the rather extensive safety feature list you're referring to seems to be "front automatic braking." Other than that, there doesn't appear to be any other LTZ exclusive features.

But in all seriousness, why not just go to the nearest exclusive car dealer and buy the high end model? You've made it clear you providing for your kids = spending cash, so why fail as a parent now? Break out the checkbook, dad

davepl

Why so much angst about the notion of buying a Chevy for a kid? Why the leap from there to "might as well buy him a BMW" and "stroking Dad's ego" and "writing the check to fell better" and all of the slams? I'm asking about a Tahoe, not a Gallardo.

Apparently I'm the first guy on earth that ever thought a new teen driver could benefit from having a heavy, well-built vehicle with the latest safety features.

Patsgarage

You really want your son to be safe ? Invest in a driving class. One on one on track instruction will benefit him more than any new car.