College is one of the most exciting times in a young person’s life. For many young adults, it’s that first taste of independence. They’re living away from home for the very first time, in charge of all of their own meals and doing their own laundry. It’s a trial run at adulthood. One big part of that includes being responsible for their finances and personal property without any (or much) help from mom and dad. That’s why sending your kid to school in the right college car is an important part of this journey. If you’re sending your child off to one of the many colleges and universities out there, a visit to a Toyota dealer should be a part of your back-to-school shopping plan.
Your kid is now a young adult, and they won’t do everything under their parents’ watchful eyes. Sending them off to school in a car that’s safe, reliable, and easy to handle can give moms and dads at least some peace of mind about letting their kids out of the nest. Between weekend road trips with friends and navigating the perhaps new and unfamiliar streets of their college neighborhood, college drivers do a lot of exploring. They need a car with an excellent reputation for this journey, and Toyota makes plenty that are right for the job.
Why Toyota Makes Great College Cars
Before we dive into the exact makes and models that are ideal for a college student, let’s talk about why Toyota is overall a great brand for college kids. First off, they’re generally affordable. Some of their newer models have starting MSRPs in the range of $20,000 to $25,000. Should you or your kid take on a loan for the car, the payments should be more manageable than more expensive vehicles.
Toyota vehicles are famously reliable, too. Consumer Reports says that Toyota ranks unusually high in the reliability category. It’s no wonder you see so many Toyotas – including older models – on the road. If you want to feel confident that your kid won’t call you from the side of the road with car issues, a Toyota is a great way to go. Plus, they can save money on costly repairs over the years with this rock-solid brand.
One more impressive thing about Toyota is how many hybrid models they offer consumers. As the world becomes more conscious about sustainability and while college students continue to be on tight budgets, a hybrid car is an excellent vehicle for university life. It saves students money on gas and helps them do their part for the environment. These are just some of the reasons Toyota and college life go hand in hand.
Which Toyota to Get for Your College Student
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius has been a favorite offering from this brand for a long time, and for good reason. First off, it gets excellent mileage. In fact, the 2022 model’s highest trim gets a mileage of 58 MPG in the city, 53 MPG on the highway, and 56 MPG combined. College students are typically on a tight budget as it is, and now that gas prices are soaring, the gas-saving Prius is especially appealing. As younger generations care more for the environment, this is a car they can love.
Parents can also rest easy knowing that the Toyota Prius is loaded with safety features that keep the driver and their passengers secure. It has parking assist to prevent pesky dings and nicks during parallel parking jobs. It offers lane departure warnings, pre-collision warnings, pedestrian detection, and more. What’s more is that some trims have a stolen vehicle locator, which will come in handy should anyone steal the car.
The Toyota Prius handles well, has lots of storage for fun weekend road trips, and is super quiet. All in all, it’s a great car for campus life that parents can feel good about getting for their future college student.
Toyota RAV4
The RAV4 is one of Toyota’s more stylish offerings. This sporty crossover comes in several trims, each of which looks high-end but actually boasts a reasonable MRSP. If your student plays on a sports team that requires them to lug around a lot of gear, this spacious car is a great pick. Should they go to school within driving distance of home but not extremely close, it’s great for road trips, too (so they’ll have no excuse not to visit often).
This pick is also decked out with technology that young drivers can appreciate. It’s compatible with Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, and Android Auto, so your young driver can stay connected, no matter what smartphone they use. It has a 7-inch touchscreen, but a 9-inch is available on one of the trims, and it comes with a 3-month SiriusXM subscription. Staying connected is important to young drivers, and the Toyota RAV4 makes it easy.
This choice is also packed with safety features to offer peace of mind, including the full Toyota Safety Sense package with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and more. It has some advanced features, too, like a birds’ eye camera view of the vehicle, blind spot monitoring, and smart stop technology. Parents can feel safe knowing their kid is behind the wheel of this intelligent vehicle.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry consistently ranks high among consumers and makes an excellent vehicle for a college student. It’s another hybrid option that helps save drivers money at the pump while being kind to the environment. It boasts an 8-speed transmission and easy handling, so drivers can easily maneuver many types of streets in this car.
The 2022 offering of this vehicle is rich with trunk space, and the designer smartly put the battery beneath the seats to create extra storage space. That makes this another great pick for a student who needs to pack a lot of stuff for after-school activities. While it is a compact vehicle that’s easy to get into tight parking spots and around busy college campuses, it’s got plenty of passenger space. The Camry is known for roomy seating, so if your kid wants to bring some friends home for the holidays, everyone should be comfortable in this car.
All new Toyotas come standard with the brand’s Entune in-car entertainment system. It’s loaded with apps that offer useful information about traffic, weather, and even gas prices. It is also compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All in all, it’s a tech-forward car that college students will appreciate.
Treat Your Student to a Toyota
If you were already considering giving your college bound kid a car as an off-to-school present, give Toyota a good look. It’s long been loved by young drivers who are on a budget, care about the environment and still want to have some fun behind the wheel.
The majority of Toyota’s lineup is reasonably priced, but that price tag doesn’t indicate any corner-cutting on safety or technology. Most of Toyota’s 2022 cars are packed with safety features that prevent accidents or minimize their severity when they do occur and even reduce the chances of theft. They also have lots of entertainment features that young drivers can appreciate, so they don’t get bored on long drives.
We only went over a few of the best Toyotas for college students here, but they have many others that your student would be thrilled to drive. When you send your kid out into the world and can’t watch their every move, knowing that they’re in a reliable and safe car is invaluable. Toyota has an excellent reputation for rarely needing major repairs and going many miles without issue. Sending your children off to college is never easy, but it’s a bit less painful when they’re in the right car.
