I suspect the deal may be sealed, but here's my input:
She'll get in a wreck in the next three years. Ask any insurance actuary, young new drivers aren't a good gamble.
Get the heaviest vehicle feasible. Any Buick or Olds without that stinking 3.1 Liter is heavy enough to be very safe.
A used Crown Vic can be had cheaply, and those things have a LOT of life in them... and can save a lot of life. I got an 8-yr-old Grand Marquis with 135K for $1650, and it got me through 40K before it needed anything substantial.. at that price, you could just get her another one in three or four years; she'll likely buy a replacement car shortly after she graduates and gets a real job anyway.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll make a wise auto decision, like most BITOGERs.