Your teenager will undoubtedly be excited when they first get their driving license, but as a parent, you'll probably be apprehensive. They can't wait to get behind the wheel, but you're worried about how much their first car will cost to run and, crucially, whether it will be safe.With all those thoughts swirling in your mind, you may take to the classifieds to source an appropriate motor, and one car in particular may jump out. You may think that a completely bland sedan with a standard four-cylinder and automatic box is the perfect solution and a turn-of-the-century Honda Accord may be right there to tempt you. After all, this is exactly the kind of car that's renowned for engine longevity, cheap to run and as safe as they came. It should also be the kind of vehicle that will just keep showing up every morning without too much drama. This Plain Accord Is Exactly What You Want HondaWhile your teenager may have thoughts of adventure behind the wheel, you're starting to think about crash safety and repair bills and this sixth-generation Honda Accord could hit a sweet spot. It's modern enough to have airbags, decent crash performance, and anti-lock brakes on many trims, but old-school enough so that you don't have to fret about four-figure sensor bills following a minor fender bender.The 1998 to 2002 generation Accords typically come with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine that makes between 135–150 horsepower depending on its trim. That's good enough for everyday motoring, but not something that will tempt your teenager into picking drag race fights with some of their college mates.It's simply a modest car that's calm and predictable and the perfect solution for exploratory motoring and, as this Accord generation was also a bestselling solution for Honda, parts are everywhere. You can go online or visit your nearby junkyard and you'll find that everybody knows about this car, keeping those repair costs down and shopping bills light. Around Town And Dealing With Everyday Life Honda The Honda Accord is just that kind of car that shrugs its mechanical shoulders and gets down to its work. It's got excellent visibility thanks to its big windows and thin roof pillars, so you can easily see obstacles in the neighborhood and check blind spots without contorting. The steering feels light at low speeds and that makes parking or maneuvering simple for a nervous new driver.And as it measures 188 inches long (about mid-size by today's standards), it'll easily fit into normal street spaces without multiple and embarrassing back and forth shunts.The Accord's four-cylinder engine is also at home puttering around town. It’ll pull away smoothly from any stoplights without any turbo-like surge and a new driver can focus on nearby traffic instead of managing a jumpy throttle. It also has a predictable and old-fashioned automatic transmission system without any weird dual-clutch behavior, and as it doesn't have any confusing driver modes, you simply get in and go. It's akin to learning to ride a simple street bike rather than fiddling with an electric mountain bike that's loaded with gadgets. Highway Manners And Long Drives Honda When your new driver heads out onto the highway, they'll find that their Accord settles quickly into an easy cruise. They'll also find that their car will be reasonably calm at 65 mph even though it certainly won't be whisper-quiet by modern luxury car standards. Still, there'll be enough power on hand to enable your driver to pass a semi without breaking a sweat and, with a 0–60 mph time that's comfortably within the "take your time" zone, you'll have less to worry about as you set them free.Cost-wise, fuel economy is reasonable enough for its age and a Honda Accord sedan with this engine should come out in the low to mid-20 MPGs combined, or at least it would have when it was new. Those mileage numbers may have slipped a little now but in practical terms, your teenager can commute to the practice field and even run their part-time job without constantly nagging you for gas money. It won't be like feeding a V8 SUV, and even though you're not in hybrid territory, you should be able to budget without breaking the bank.On longer trips, the vehicle is comfortable enough and Honda has tuned the suspension to back up this car's middle-of-the-road and sensible status. Your new driver should have a steady and unflustered drive that encourages them to relax and hold their lane without darting around too much. Safety And What To Check Bring a Trailer You can't automatically expect a car of this vintage to have the very latest safety specifications out of the box, so it's fair to take a closer look. When new, these Accords came with front airbags and on many trims, certain features like ABS and side airbags as well. They also performed competitively in those period crash tests and while they definitely won't have features like automatic emergency braking or lane keeping assist, they also don't have a lot of potential distractions in the cabin.These Hondas don't come with giant touchscreens or endless menus, which is a good thing when you want your new driver to keep their eyes on the road. The overall set-up will just help your teenager learn how to drive properly by judging their following distances, watching traffic, and shoulder-checking any lane changes. You'll want them to build the right habits first and this car is a good tool to help them do so.IThat aside, there's nothing really unusual about a car that's two decades old, but you will still need to carry out a thorough pre-purchase inspection before buying. Don't be surprised if you have to perform some catch-up maintenance as well, but factor all that into your purchase price.Some other things to look out for with a Honda Accord of this age include transmission slip and harsh shifts, which you should watch out for during a test drive. Check the timing belt history on four-cylinder and V6 models as well, as these require periodic replacement. And don't forget to look under the body and especially at suspension mounting points for signs of corrosion. But as far as the engines are concerned, these really are workhorses and some of them have run well past 200,000 miles. The four-cylinder models are especially durable and, for a first car, that's good news to hear. Living With 1990s Tech In A 2020s World Honda Inside the car you won't be greeted by any surprises. There's a straightforward dash with big knobs for climate control and one of those familiar handbrakes that seem to be much less common today. It's as retro as they get for a teenager who may be used to smartphones, but that simplicity is nevertheless important. There's less to break and less to distract, and it has controls that you can easily trigger without taking those eyes off the road.If you really do want Bluetooth and hands-free capability, you might have to add a modern head unit, but thankfully, the aftermarket for these Hondas is very large. A basic stereo upgrade is likely to be quite inexpensive, too, and you could even add a backup camera without tremendous hassle.There's also plenty of space for a typical teenager's life, with enough room in the rear seats for a couple of friends to pile in comfortably. The trunk is large enough to swallow sports gear or simply act as a separate storage area for a college kid's stuff. And it's also good to know that insurance companies tend to look at these modest sedans favorably, especially when compared with larger SUVs or performance cars. While the premium is likely to be quite pricey for a teen driver anyway, it will probably be on the low end of what’s possible. This Boring Sedan Could Really Be The Perfect First Car HondaIn the end, you have to look at this scenario as something of a compromise, and you're unlikely to come across a 20-year-old used car that's perfect. You should also remember that a turn-of-the-century Accord may not be able to protect your teen as effectively as a brand-new mid-size sedan with all the latest safety features and semi-autonomous aids. However, if you are shopping on a realistic budget and care about practicality and reliability, this generation of Accord should check a lot of the right boxes.A quick availability check suggests that you can find one for around $2,000 to $3,000, so this boring but unkillable 90s sedan should represent a smart strategic move on your part. It'll be able to give your teenager the level of independence they want while encouraging them to forge good habits. And crucially, it should give you a lot more peace of mind every time they back out of your driveway.