Moms and Dads with up to $25,000 to spend on a new set of wheels for Junior have a single thought: get something safe. Junior, on the other hand, needs something sporty, with style, a car that won’t get laughed out of the parking lot like Grandma’s hand-me-down Buick. If parents and offspring can resolve that issue, the subject of dependability rears its head. No sense dropping a year of tuition, books, and living expenses on a set of wheels that’s going to nickel-and-dime a young scholar into the poor house.

To select the 2006 Honda CR-V as our Best Car for Teen Drivers for 2006, first we examined crash-test data from the NHTSA and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for vehicles with a base price under $25,000. To make the final list, vehicles had to score four or five stars in the NHTSA frontal- and side-impact tests, and the rollover test. It also had to get an Acceptable or Good rating from the IIHS in its offset frontal and side-impact tests. Once we verified crashworthiness, we looked at the other parameters to select our winner.

With a base price of just under $21,000, the Honda CR-V is offered in LX, EX, and SE trim levels with either front- or all-wheel drive. A 2.4-liter, 156-horsepower four cylinder engine delivers 21 mpg city and 26 mpg on the highway with the standard five-speed manual transmission, while the optional five-speed automatic bumps fuel economy to 22/27. Though it’s not a powerhouse, especially with the AWD system, the CR-V is sprightly enough to keep up in traffic. And though it’s not as funky as the stylish Element – which didn’t pass muster in side-impact crash testing to snare our vote in this category – they don’t call the CR-V a “cute ute” for nothing.

Key standard equipment includes front, side-impact, and side-curtain airbags backed up with ABS, brake assist, and stability control. Air conditioning, cruise control, a height adjustable driver’s seat, floor mats, a full-size spare tire, and a CD player are included in the base price. So are power door locks with remote keyless entry, power windows, and power mirrors. There’s even a picnic table built into the spacious 72 cubic-foot cargo area. The CR-V EX comes standard with AWD, a power sunroof, alloy wheels, a CD changer, and dark tinted glass, while the SE gets leather upholstery, heated front seats, and heated side mirrors. A loaded 2006 Honda CR-V SE runs about $26,000.

Backed by a decade-long record of impressive reliability, the roomy, comfortable, efficient 2006 Honda CR-V should meet all your teen’s needs for years to come. Well, all of them except for a need for speed, but that’s probably for the best. – Christian J. Wardlaw