I took the new Hyundai Kona on a family road trip: It's a practical car with pizzazz that I'd be comfortable letting my teenager drive.

• A friend sought advice on a safe but not too-large car for his teenage sons.
• I've also been thinking about what car would be suitable for my college-bound daughter.
• I drove a Hyundai Kona from Silicon Valley to Santa Barbara to find out if this car fits the bill.

A close friend of mine recently called me for advice. He wanted to know what vehicle he should get for his teenage sons to drive.

The main criteria: It's got to be safe for these young drivers. But it also can't be too heavy and big, so if an accident happens, god forbid, they don't do too much damage to those around them.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, too. My youngest daughter is about to leave for college. She occasionally drives our ancient Toyota. What would I want her driving as an adult heading out into the world?