As just-graduated high school seniors prepare for their first year of college they may have put a mini-fridge, twin extra-long sheets and maybe even a desk lamp on their packing list. But what about a mode of transportation for campus cruising like a used car in New York?

Especially on suburban campuses, students who have their own transportation may find that they can have access to more off-campus activities, and convince Mom and Dad that the purchase will also allow for more family visits if they have their own car to use for travel home, say AutoWeek editors.

They recently released a list of the best cars for rising freshman to have when they head off to college, and while there are some new cars on the list, the editors also included used cars that are more affordable, especially Volvos which can be reliable even after being driven for thousands of miles.

A used Volvo S40 in New York may offer reliability in a package that Cars.com reviewer Jim Flammang says is marketed to younger buyers.

Unlike some of the cars picked by AutoWeek editors, the 2004 model is a four-door sedan that can fit more people than some compact hatchbacks, he notes, and it still has the safety features found in all Volvos that can ease parents’ concerns as they send their sons and daughters away to school.