What is a good car for a first time driver?

I turn 17 this year, and my dad has been searching for cars for me. We're looking for something reliable and within the price range of $1,500 and $2,600. There's a '97 Volkswagen Jetta for sale right down the road from me, and I know parts are more expensive to buy than parts for something like a Ford, but it's a good price and I hear they're extremely reliable. We're also looking at Honda Civics, probably in the '95-'97 range. Other than that, I think we had Toyota Corollas in mind with the same year range. My dad really wants to find a Honda Prelude or a Toyota Cellica from the mid to late '90s for me, but they're pretty scarce. So, any advice? Which car is the best for a young driver?