Car-buying college grads may discover that picking a major was easier than choosing from among the hundreds of vehicles out there.

To help make the car-buying process a little easier for them, Autotrader has compiled a list of the nine models it thinks young adults should have on their shopping lists.

Three of those models — Chevrolet Equinox, Lexus CT and Hyundai Sonata — are certified pre-owned units.

“CPO cars merit close consideration, as they offer many of the benefits of a new car, like low mileage and bumper-to-bumper limited warranties, without the new-car price tag,” said Brian Moody, executive editor at Autotrader.

Also making the list were Fiat 500X, Honda Civic, Kia Soul, Mazda3, Scion iA and Subaru Crosstrek.

“All of the vehicles we picked for this list are fun, reliable and thoughtfully designed — perfect choices to fuel the next phase of your journey,” Moody said, adding that all cars on the list carry a price tag under $25,000 and at least 30 highway mpg.

Autotrader also offered three pearls of wisdom for young buyers:

 — CPO vehicles offer the best of both worlds. Consider certified pre-owned cars first, as they are lower-cost alternative that gets you into a nearly new car. CPO vehicles are late-model, low-mileage vehicles that have been fully inspected according to manufacturer guidelines and come with a warranty. You can likely get a CPO vehicle in a higher trim level (or class) for the same price as a lower-end new car.

 — Credit has a bigger impact than you might think. Your credit score has a big impact on the deal you can get, as well as the programs and promotions for which you qualify. It not only determines how good your interest rate will be, it also affects your monthly payments over the life of the loan. Most advertised deals are for people with excellent credit, which many young car buyers haven’t yet built.

 — There are two kinds of test drives. The test drive you do when you're shopping should be different from the one you do when you're ready to buy — and these should happen on different days. When you’re shopping, get behind the wheels of two or three of the models you’re considering to find out which ones are as good in the real world as they are on paper. Once you’ve made your choice, take a long, thorough test drive on a different day in the exact vehicle you plan to buy.

For a more detailed look at Autotrader's picks, click here.