Our favorites are not only safe and affordable, they're pretty cool. That will mean a lot to your kid.

But before you buy, check out our 6-step plan to get the lowest price and cheapest loan.

Suzuki SX4 Crossover

The SX4 is a little quirky, but it's hard to find a better value.

First, the SX4 offers one of the market's cheapest ways to get all-wheel-drive. That makes it the ideal starter car for those in foul-weather regions, and you'll pay thousands less than for a comparable Subaru Impreza.

It gets better: Antilock brakes and side airbags for both front and rear seats are standard, and the SX4 earned fine four- and five-star ratings for front and side-impact protection.

The SX4's 150-horsepower, four-cylinder engine is slightly inadequate for delivering genuine performance. In other words, it's wimpy without being dangerously underpowered. Perfect!

Prices start at $15,849 for front-wheel-drive, but we'd recommend the all-wheel-drive SX4 Crossover with the Technology package that costs $18,699 (plus a $625 delivery charge).

For 2010, all SX4s offer standard electronic stability control and some other small-car pluses, including six airbags, air-conditioning and keyless entry.

That makes for a safe, well-equipped and relatively efficient (21 miles per gallon city/28 m.p.g. highway) all-wheel-drive compact car.

In our experience, Suzuki can also be counted on for the same kind of durability as bigger-name makers such as Honda and Toyota for considerably less money.

Kia Soul

We'll be shocked if your kids don't agree that the all-new 2010 Kia Soul pegs the cool meter.

The Kia is about the edgiest thing going, with a wedgy rollerskate shape we think comes off as much more stylish than the slightly odd box-mobiles that so far have targeted the youth market: the Scion xB and xD and Honda Element.

But we're not recommending the Soul strictly for its styling chops.

Like many Korean models, it's stuffed with the latest electronic features and safety equipment, yet still carries an aggressively low price. Standard for every Soul (there are four trim levels) are must-haves such as electronic stability control, antilock brakes and six airbags.

The best buy is the Soul+. Included in its $14,950 base price (plus $695 destination) are air-conditioning, power windows and locks and remote keyless entry, a USB port and Bluetooth connectivity.

Add the $950 automatic transmission to back its unassuming 142-horsepower, two-liter engine, and the $400 audio upgrade, and the Soul+ goes out the door for $16,995.

We wish the Soul had another speed in its automatic -- the fuel economy would be better -- but the Soul is a stylish and value-packed car with wide appeal.

Honda Fit

In sheer dollar-per-goodness ratio, the spunky and frugal 2010 Honda Fit has no equal.

Everyone won't embrace the just-in-from-Tokyo styling, but the Fit already is becoming something of a cult phenomenon because of its absolute Honda-ness.

Although the Fit was redesigned for 2009 with a slightly more powerful 117-horsepower, four-cylinder engine, your teen probably won't be tempted into any stoplight drag races.

At 27 m.p.g in the city and 33 on the highway, the Fit is a true budget-stretcher at the gas pump.

Honda's gone the extra mile to engineer a lot of crash protection into the Fit's rigid structure. Your teen will also be protected by standard antilock brakes and a full array of airbags, front and side.

But shame on Honda for forcing you to buy the most expensive version to get the vital safety feature of skid-preventing stability control.

While stability control is standard on the much-less-expensive versions of the Kia Soul and Suzuki SX4, Honda requires you to buy the top-of-the-line Fit Sport with Navigation model to get stability control.

Oh, well, prices this year were raised only a few hundred bucks, making the 2010 Fit Sport with Navigation still kind of a bargain at $19,820 with a five-speed automatic transmission.

We'd be willing to pay this kind of premium for the always-delightful feel of Honda quality, and the price does include Honda's sophisticated navigation unit that uses surprisingly effective voice recognition.

By Bill Visnic

Interest.com Contributing Editor