As students get ready to head back to their high school and college campuses, they'll be looking for a new, fun car to show off.

NADAguides.com, a vehicle pricing and information Web site, announced its picks of the top 10 cars that are cool for school.

The list took into consideration a combination of factors when choosing its top picks, including affordability, reliability, safety, fuel economy, styling and cost of ownership.

"Never is the generation gap bigger than when parents and kids debate about what car to buy," said Don Christy Jr., president and CEO of NADAguides.com. "It doesn't have to be hard, though. Parents can get what they want and kids can, too."

Christy said both new and pre-owned versions of the cars that made the company's list would be great choices for students heading to school in the coming weeks, not only for practicality but for the "cool factor," too.

Chevy Cobalt

Honda Fit

Mazda MAZDA3

Nissan Xterra

Pontiac Vibe

Saturn Astra

Scion xB

Subaru Forester

Toyota Tacoma

Volkswagen Rabbit