Ask teens what they want to drive and the answers will range from a Ferrari to a Baja 1000 desert race truck. When it comes to the real world, young adults want a ride that looks cool, goes fast, packs a deafening sound system, and resembles anything seen on either the Speed Channel or MTV's Pimp My Ride. Parents and insurance agents, on the other hand, want these inexperienced drivers in anything that's safe, reliable, and incapable of 150-mph in the straight-aways. To them, an Abrams battle tank fits the bill quite nicely.

Serving as an appealing compromise to all concerned parties is the 2005 Scion tC, a two-door hatchback offered up by Toyota's new youth-oriented division, and our Autobytel Editors' Choice as the Best Car for Teen Drivers.

The base price includes an impressive load of standard equipment, such as a panoramic sunroof, an easy-entry seat device that allows friends to climb into the back, a folding rear seat that creates a cargo area large enough to swallow an entire dorm room's contents (or close to it), and a Pioneer sound system that plays both CDs and MP3s. And with its stylish lines, standard 17-inch alloy wheels and wide range of dealer-installed accessories like satellite radio and a subwoofer, the tC will fit in on any campus or club parking lot.

To satisfy teenage desires for performance, the tC comes standard with a peppy 160-horsepower motor mated to a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. But, if that isn't enough, check out options like a supercharger (which doesn't void Scion's five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty) and a sport exhaust system.

Parents want their kids in a safe car, and the Scion tC allays their concerns with standard antilock brakes, dual front airbags, a driver's knee airbag, front and rear stabilizer bars for controlled handling, and impressive NHTSA crash test results for frontal and side collisions. Side-impact airbags are optional for a minimal cost, and we recommend them.

With all of the options bolted on, the base price of $16,500 can climb to about $20,000. That's a big bill for a teen, or someone supporting a teen. But, considering its safety features and how much today's kids spend upgrading lesser cars, the 2005 Scion tC is a bargain. Plus, at up to 30 mpg on the highway, it gets much better gas mileage than that Abrams tank.

- Thom Blackett