Anyone have a teen driver and a MME?

[dan_meh]

Does anyone have advice for handling keys to a torque forward electric car to a responsible teenager?

My eldest will turn 16 in about six months. I’m looking forward to quitting the ballet carpool, so I’m encouraging her to get her license.

I have a premium all wheel drive, and I’m nervous about putting her behind the wheel. It’s vastly more power than I had in my GTI in my late 20s. I started on an 81 Pontiac Grand LeMans with half its cylinders at half their compression. When that died (my sister killed it), I had the small engine Blazer. So I learned to drive cars that measured 0-60 with a sundial.

I’m thinking about making her drive our Toyota Sienna to start, but I do want her to drive electric. But how to introduce it? My prime directive as a father is to keep her safe. So I don’t want to mess it up.

Sponsored

 

[HuntingPudel]

Not sure what to tell you. I bought my T/A new before I got my driver's license and ripped the Olds 403 out of it in favor of a mildly built real Pontiac 455. It was putting out 535 lbs/ft of torque on that build through the rear axle. Maybe the goal should be to teach her how to drive the MME safely and properly and respect its performance characteristics? That could do her well in the future as a safe driver.

 

[hybrid2bev]

My youngest just finished drivers ed and passed the road test. I have the same spec Mach-E.

I changed the car settings and put it in Whisper mode and 1PD off, distance indicator on, and lane keeping on then saved to profile 3 for an easy reset when it’s his turn to drive because I drive in Unbridle and 1PD with all that safety stuff off. That’s how I taught him to drive.

 

[RickMachE]

We raised two sons, long moved away. This car has way too much torque for a new driver. Several have posted here, or on FB, about their child being unable to handle the power. I would let them drive with me in the vehicle, but not alone.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

I don't have kids, and luckily my cat can't reach the pedals. But I suggest you setup a fob using MyKey and put as many restrictions on it as you can. Sadly that won't limit the torque or the HP, but it will limit the speed, audio volume, and things like that. I wish Ford had added torque and HP reduction to MyKey, but the features is does have are useful. Beyond that, I would spend a bunch of time with her in the car making sure she's comfortable driving it, and that you're comfortable with the ways she's driving. If she has difficulty controlling the accelerator, even in Whisper, then I suggest she drive your Sienna until she gets more practice. Remember that if she's uncomfortable, you should be too and you should find an alternative.

 

[pikepilot]

got a new driver coming my way in about 6 months and very worried about the same thing. GT AWD.
My original plan was to lease something electric and cheap. Prologue was going for $169/month, little down. There were a few others with low torque and similar pricing. Haven't looked in the past few weeks but I'm guessing those deals are gone now with the tax credit disappearing.

 

[dan_meh]

got a new driver coming my way in about 6 months and very worried about the same thing. GT AWD.
My original plan was to lease something electric and cheap. Prologue was going for $169/month, little down. There were a few others with low torque and similar pricing. Haven't looked in the past few weeks but I'm guessing those deals are gone now with the tax credit disappearing.

I’m thinking about the same thing. Like a glorified golf cart. 80% of her driving will be within 20 miles of the house and all on surface streets. You can get first gen Kona EVs for 15k and under.

Maybe another Ford:
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/95c7e93a-40ca-475c-add6-0c09e456f287?aff=share_other

 

[dan_meh]

I wish Ford had added torque and HP reduction to MyKey, but the features is does have are useful.

Agreed. A “nerf it” function would be useful.

 

[MellowJohnny]

When our 16 year old daughter was learning she did it on the Mach-E - it was the first car she ever drove. She's responsible, careful, and courteous. She started liking 1PD but eventually settled on Whisper. We have all ADAS modes on all the time. Both my daughters love F1 but understand the difference between actual closed-circuit racing and what public roads are for.

I don't think the car has "too much power" for her, she learned to use it properly. From a safety perspective she knows on the freeway if she needs to pass safely / move / get out of a jam she can. To me the extra power and instant torque is a safety feature.

But I can appreciate how hard it is to watch her drive away on her own for the firs time, so do *a lot* of driving with her so she learns proper habits, can ask questions, and make "mistakes" with you there to anticipate for her.

 

[Mark813]

Valet mode? lol

I also have the premium AWD. Now and then when the road is empty I stomp it and if I was changing lanes or coming out of a turn it gets squirrely but easily recovers if you let off the gas.

My dad used to say if your car gets out of control one of the best things you can do is let off the gas or press the clutch in. That's probably not the perfect solution. But when we are young and a new driver you panic and may even press harder on the gas.

Most of my mistakes at 16 were made in 4 or 6 cylinder cars before getting into a Plymouth Barracuda 440 with a 4 speed at 19 where I could make better decisions (or knew how to recover from my bad decisions)

I think the recommendation above of a less powerful car for a first driver is correct. I did get to drive my parents car at 16 but it was a station wagon lol.

For my own kids were were able to buy cars from their grandparents the slower Ford Taurus type vehicles

 

[Triggerhappy007]

I’m thinking about making her drive our Toyota Sienna

It depends on how old the Sienna is. If it's older, she might be safer in the Mach-E.

 

[dan_meh]

It depends on how old the Sienna is. If it's older, she might be safer in the Mach-E.

Good point. It’s a 2021, so has Toyota Safety Sense. The assistance is not as good as the Mustang for cruising, but it has cross traffic, blind spot, and lane departure warning, which is the kind of thing that I think you’re talking about.

 

[smoke20]

On the credit side of the ledger, the MME is a safe fortress.

 

[hack-e]

My 17yo daughter (had license for 2 months now) has taken mine as her daily driver. She does not like how aggressive the acceleration is even in Whisper. I wish it had an even weaker acceleration mode. She also doesn't like how bumpy it is. And she doesn't like the touchy brakes. But she likes the car overall.

She learned to drive on a 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid and that was supposed to be her main car, but it's too unreliable so I swapped with her. That car starts in Eco mode and has extremely gentle acceleration and braking.

I think the Mach-E is a much safer vehicle to be in in an accident.

I'm not sure there's any advice to share. I like the fact that she states she does not like the touchiness of the acceleration pedal.

 

[RickMachE]

My 17yo daughter (had license for 2 months now) has taken mine as her daily driver. She does not like how aggressive the acceleration is even in Whisper. I wish it had an even weaker acceleration mode. She also doesn't like how bumpy it is. And she doesn't like the touchy brakes. But she likes the car overall.

She learned to drive on a 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid and that was supposed to be her main car, but it's too unreliable so I swapped with her. That car starts in Eco mode and has extremely gentle acceleration and braking.

I think the Mach-E is a much safer vehicle to be in in an accident.

I'm not sure there's any advice to share. I like the fact that she states she does not like the touchiness of the acceleration pedal.

I would say that her dislike of the aggressiveness of the accelerator is a red flag to you that she is uncomfortable driving it.

Sponsored