Jeep Wrangler may be hard to handle for new drivers

Q. Is the Jeep Wrangler a good car for a new driver? My lovely 15-year-old daughter is extremely proud that she missed only one question on her driver's permit exam. I am committed to getting her a used vehicle when she turns 16. My dilemma is that she wants a used Jeep Wrangler or the like. Can this vehicle be dangerous?

A. The Jeep Wrangler would be a great choice if your daughter needed to drive the Rubicon Trail or other arduous off-road venue to get to school and if she was trained by off-road experts beforehand.

But since your daughter is more likely to be driving on urban/suburban streets and highways, the Wrangler would be a bad choice, especially for an inexperienced driver. The Wrangler is noisy, uses lots of gas, has a stiff, bouncy ride and exhibits poor handling marked by noticeable body lean and resistance to steering input, or understeer. The latter is especially noticeable when you have to make quick maneuvers, such as avoiding another vehicle or a pedestrian.

When the Wrangler was redesigned for 2007, Jeep gave it standard electronic stability control and rollover-mitigation technology, plus a wider track that makes it less likely to tip. The result is that in recent years it has had among the lowest in death rates for all vehicles. However, the Honda CR-V and Pilot SUVs also have among the lowest death rates and are much more practical, comfortable and reliable than the Wrangler, which is in its element off-road.

No matter what your daughter may want, it's up to you, Dad, to make the right decision. A used CR-V or Pilot or a midsize car such as a Honda Accord, Ford Fusion or Hyundai Sonata would be good alternatives.

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