Families with newly licensed teens have a wide range of options this year when it comes to safe vehicles for their novice driver. An updated list of suggested vehicles for teens from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Consumer Reports (CR) includes 74 used vehicles priced at $10,000 or less. Another 48 models that come with automatic emergency braking and highly rated headlights can be found for under $20,000.
“Given consumers’ economic anxiety and the uncertainty around future vehicle prices, the availability of a wide range of safe, affordable used options is welcome news,” said Jessica Jermakian, IIHS senior vice president for vehicle research. “Helping your kid achieve a milestone of independence shouldn’t require compromising on safety.”
“This list is designed to help buyers narrow their search to vehicles that can help drivers avoid crashes and also protect vehicle occupants in the event that a crash does occur,” said Jennifer Stockburger, director of operations at Consumer Reports Auto Test Center. “That combination increases the odds of keeping new drivers safe as they gain experience.”
For those who are ready to spend more, a separate list of recommended new vehicles names 22 model year 2025 vehicles equipped with the latest in crash protection and safety technology. For the first time, the criteria include a good rating in the seat belt reminder evaluation that IIHS launched in 2022.
“Vehicles with good belt reminder ratings have loud, persistent prompts that are difficult to ignore,” Jermakian said. “This is a great feature for everyone, but especially young people, who are less likely to buckle up than other adults.”
The annual list of teen vehicles, which CR and IIHS have produced jointly since 2020, is intended to help families prioritize safety without busting their budgets. It can be tempting to give a young driver a very old and inexpensive car, but there’s a good chance the beater rusting in your driveway lacks key safety features and the highest levels of crash protection.
Teen drivers are already at heightened risk because of inexperience and immaturity, so vehicle choice is particularly important for this demographic. Fortunately, as this year’s list shows, there are many reasonably priced options with a high level of safety. Parents of younger children might also consider using the list to find a family car that could be passed along to a teenager later.
As in past years, the list doesn’t include anything with excessive horsepower relative to weight or anything marketed for performance. Such vehicles can entice young drivers to take risks or lead them to speed unintentionally.
The list also doesn’t have any minicars or anything that weighs less than 2,750 pounds. Although many smaller models are popular with young drivers, they can’t protect their occupants as well in crashes with other vehicles.
On the flip side, large SUVs and large pickups may offer greater crash protection in some configurations, but they aren’t suitable for teens because they can be hard to handle and take longer to stop. They also pose more risk to others on the road, including pedestrians, bicyclists and people in smaller vehicles.
Cars with shorter stopping distances and more composed handling are a significant boon to inexperienced drivers, easing their ability to operate the vehicle safely in all situations. That’s why both used and new vehicles on the list have average or better scores (3 out of 5) from CR for braking and for emergency and routine handling. They also have usability scores for controls and displays of at least 2 out of 5, meaning the vehicles with the most confusing and distracting setups are excluded. All have standard electronic stability control — even the 2011 Mini Countryman, the one vehicle on the list from before the 2012 model year, when the technology became mandatory.
When it comes to protection in crashes, all recommended used vehicles have good ratings in five IIHS tests: original moderate overlap front, original side, driver-side small overlap front, roof strength and head restraints.
Models in the top tier of used vehicles, designated as Best Choices, come with headlights that earn a good or acceptable rating from IIHS across all trim levels. They also have standard automatic emergency braking (AEB) that performs well in IIHS track tests. AEB, which can help drivers avoid rear-ending another vehicle — and in many cases striking a pedestrian — is an important technology for all drivers. It’s particularly relevant for teens, who are more apt to lose focus or make mistakes.
In addition to having good-rated seat belt reminders, the recommended new vehicles are winners of the 2025 IIHS Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award, which means they excel in the Institute’s newer, more challenging crash tests. They also have standard good or acceptable headlights and standard, high-performing AEB.
Of course, safety and price are not the only factors that go into choosing a vehicle. Consumers should also consider the cost of insurance and the reliability of a given vehicle. The IIHS-affiliated Highway Loss Data Institute publishes insurance losses by make and model, which can provide a sense of which vehicles could cost more to insure. You can get a specific quote from your insurance company before buying. When it comes to vehicle reliability, CR maintains ratings for its members.
Despite the lack of high-horsepower models in the recommendations, many listed vehicles have performance variants or can be configured with more powerful engines. Teen drivers should steer clear of those and instead stick to the base engine.
In addition, extra caution is warranted when it comes to electric vehicles. Although EVs are fundamentally just as safe as gas-powered vehicles — and there are several on the list — rapid acceleration can be a concern. Unlike gas engines, electric motors give drivers immediate access to all of the vehicle’s power. Parents should keep that in mind if they are considering an EV for a teen driver.
SOURCE: IIHS
