Here Are the Best Cars for Teens According to IIHS, Consumer Reports

Choosing a car for a teen driver is, if not a catch-22, then at least a related dilemma. Teenagers are involved in more car crashes than any other age group, so it may be a waste of money to buy them an expensive new car. More expensive newer cars are more likely to come with safety equipment that will reduce the likelihood of a crash, but history shows that teens will crash anything. Call it a catch-16.

To help parents make the right choice for freshly licensed drivers, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Consumer Reports combine their massive data stores to generate their annual list of the best cars for teens. The list includes 122 used car choices, 48 of which are considered Best Choices, as they include automatic emergency braking that earn an advanced or superior rating, plus headlights that are rated good or acceptable by IIHS.

Related: Which Used Cars Have the Best Crash-Test Scores?

What Are the Best Used Cars for Teens?

Small Cars: Good Choices

• Acura ILX (2016-22)
• Chevrolet Bolt (2017-21)
• Chevrolet Volt (2016-19)
• Honda Civic coupe and sedan (2014-21)
• Kia Niro (2017-22)
• Kia Soul (2015 or newer)
• Mazda3 sedan and hatchback (2014-19; built after October 2013)
• Mini Countryman (2011 or newer)
• Nissan Sentra (2015 or newer)
• Subaru Crosstrek (2014 or newer)
• Subaru Impreza sedan and wagon (2014 or newer)
• Volkswagen Golf (2015-21)
• Volkswagen Golf Alltrack (2017-19)
• Volkswagen Golf SportWagen (2015-19)

Small Cars: Best Choices

• Honda Civic hatchback and sedan (2022 or newer)
• Honda Insight (2019-22)
• Mazda3 hatchback (2019 or newer)
• Mazda3 sedan (2020 or newer)
• Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid (2019)
• Toyota Corolla sedan (2017-19; 2023 or newer)
• Toyota Prius (2017 or newer; built after August 2016)
• Toyota Prius Prime (2017 or newer)

Mid-Size Cars: Good Choices

• Acura TL (2012-14; built after April 2012)
• Audi A3 (2015 or newer)
• BMW 2 Series (2014-21)
• Chrysler 200 (2015-17)
• Ford Fusion (2017-19)
• Honda Accord coupe (2015-17)
• Honda Accord sedan (2013-20)
• Hyundai Sonata (2016-22; built after October 2015)
• Lincoln MKZ (2017-19)
• Mazda6 (2016-18)
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2015-18)
• Nissan Maxima (2016-19)
• Subaru Legacy (2015-19)
• Subaru Outback (2015-19)
• Toyota Camry (2015-17)
• Toyota Prius V (2015-17)
• Volkswagen Jetta (2015 or newer)
• Volkswagen Passat (2016-22)
• Volvo S60 (2012-20)
• Volvo V60 (2015-20)

Mid-Size Cars: Best Choices

• Honda Accord (2021 or newer)
• Hyundai Sonata (2023 or newer; built after December 2022)
• Kia K5 (2021 or newer; built after November 2020)
• Lexus IS (2017 or newer; built after June 2017)
• Mazda6 (2019-21; built after June 2019)
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2019 or newer except 2021 models built before February 2021)
• Nissan Maxima (2020 or newer)
• Subaru Legacy (2020 or newer)
• Subaru Outback (2020; built after October 2019)
• Toyota Camry (2018 or newer)
• Volvo S60 (2021-22)

Large Cars: Good Choices

• Audi A6 (2016 or newer; built after January 2015)
• Hyundai Genesis (2015-16)
• Kia Cadenza (2017-20)
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2014-19; built after January 2014)
• Volvo S80 (2012, 2015-16)

Large Cars: Best Choices

• Acura RLX (2018-20)
• Genesis G80 (2017-20)
• Genesis G90 (2017-22)

Small SUVs: Good Choices

• Audi Q3 (2015 or newer)
• BMW X1 (2016 or newer)
• Buick Encore (2015-22)
• Fiat 500X (2016-18; built after July 2015)
• Honda CR-V (2015 or newer)
• Hyundai Kona (2018 or newer)
• Hyundai Tucson (2016-21)
• Jeep Compass (2017 or newer; built after December 2016)
• Kia Sportage (2017 or newer)
• Mazda CX-3 (2016-19)
• Mazda CX-5 (2014-19; built after October 2013)
• Mitsubishi Outlander (2014-21)
• Nissan Rogue (2014-20)
• Subaru Forester (2014-18)

Small SUVs: Best Choices

• BMW X2 (2019 or newer)
• Chevrolet Trailblazer (2021 or newer)
• Ford Bronco Sport (2021 or newer)
• Hyundai Tucson (2022 or newer)
• Kia EV6 (2022 or newer; built after August 2022)
• Mazda CX-3 (2020-21)
• Mazda CX-5 (2020 or newer)
• Mazda CX-30 (2022 or newer)
• Mitsubishi Outlander (2022 or newer; built after June 2021)
• Nissan Rogue (2021 or newer)
• Subaru Forester (2019 or newer)
• Toyota Corolla Cross (2022 or newer)

Mid-Size SUVs: Good Choices

• Acura MDX (2014-16)
• Audi Q5 (2015 or newer; built after January 2015)
• Chevrolet Equinox (2014 or newer)
• Chevrolet Traverse (2018 or newer)
• GMC Terrain (2014 or newer)
• Hyundai Santa Fe (2017 or newer; built after March 2016)
• Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (2017-18)
• Kia Sorento (2016 or newer)
• Lincoln MKX (2016-18)
• Mazda CX-9 (2017-20; built after November 2016)
• Mercedes-Benz M-Class (2014-15; built after August 2013)
• Nissan Murano (2015-20)
• Volkswagen Tiguan (2018-21)
• Volvo XC60 (2013-21)
• Volvo XC90 (2013-17)

Mid-Size SUVs: Best Choices

• Acura MDX (2017-20)
• Acura RDX (2019 or newer)
• Audi Q4 e-Tron (2022 or newer)
• Ford Explorer (2020 or newer; built after May 2020)
• Honda Passport (2019-21; built after June 2019)
• Honda Pilot (2019 or newer)
• Lexus NX (2018 or newer)
• Mazda CX-9 (2021 or newer)
• Nissan Murano (2021 or newer)
• Subaru Ascent (2021 or newer)
• Toyota Highlander (2017 or newer)
• Volkswagen Tiguan (2022 or newer)
• Volvo XC90 (2018 or newer; built after March 2018)

Minivans: Good Choices

• Chrysler Pacifica (2017 or newer; built after August 2016)
• Honda Odyssey (2014 or newer)
• Kia Sedona (2015-21)

What Are the Best New Cars for Teens?

Small Cars

• Honda Civic sedan
• Mazda3 hatchback
• Mazda3 sedan

Mid-Size Cars

• Honda Accord
• Hyundai Ioniq 6
• Toyota Camry

Small SUVs

• Honda HR-V
• Hyundai Ioniq 5
• Hyundai Kona
• Hyundai Tucson
• Mazda CX-30
• Mazda CX-50
• Subaru Forester (excluding Wilderness trim)
• Subaru Solterra

Mid-Size SUVs

• GMC Acadia (built after January 2025)
• Honda Pilot
• Hyundai Santa Fe (built after November 2024)
• Kia Telluride
• Lexus NX
• Mazda CX-70
• Mazda CX-90
• Subaru Ascent

Defining ‘Best’

Qualifying used vehicles all have standard electronic stability control (which became mandatory in the U.S. for the 2012 model year) and earned the highest possible rating in five IIHS tests when new. Those include three crash tests, a measure of roof crush resistance and an evaluation of how well the head restraints control head movement during a crash.

Consumer Reports dynamic testing contributes to the list, as well. The vehicles included on the list earn average or better scores in emergency and routine-handling tests, as well as braking tests. CR also evaluates secondary controls and displays for usability, excluding vehicles with the most distracting systems. Both agencies exclude vehicles that weigh less than 2,750 pounds, are too powerful for their size or are too big, as larger vehicles can be harder to handle and need longer to stop. Larger cars also present a greater threat to other road users and, as IIHS president David Harkey observed in a recent test of full-size SUVs, “There is a lot more force to manage when they crash into a fixed obstacle.”

The 22 new model-year 2025 vehicles on the list meet the above criteria and have earned IIHS Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ awards. They also have seat belt reminders that rank above the most effective with loud, persistent prompts, as young drivers are less likely to buckle up than other age groups.

More From Cars.com:

• What Are the Most Reliable Cars and Brands?
• What Are the Best Used Cars for $10,000?
• Should I Buy a New, Used or Certified Pre-Owned Car?
• How to Buy a Car, According to Cars.com Experts
• What Are the Best Used Cars for $15,000?

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