Mazda Mazda3

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Consumer Reports have released their annual list of recommended vehicles for teens, and the 2024 list offers more safety for less, as used- and new-car prices stabilize.

The 71 vehicles that qualified for the awards for 2024 is an increase of 23 over 2023, when stricter requirements began to take effect.

All three Mazdas qualify for the highest award in their standard configuration.

An increasing number of vehicles with sticker prices of $40,000 or less, some much less, offer heated mirrors.

Wheel warming has gone mainstream, with the feature standard or optional not just on luxury vehicles, but on an increasing number of models with sticker prices of $40,000 or less.

Affected model-year 2014-18 Mazda3s and 2016-21 CX-3s are under recall for an improperly displaying backup camera.

The list of model-year 2023-24 cars with manual transmissions skews mostly to affordable models and those that are more enthusiast-oriented, but there’s still a decent range of choices.

For 2024, the Mazda3’s roster of standard safety features now includes blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and rear door alert.

All 2024 Carbon Turbos are painted a tan Zircon Sand Metallic, with black suede and brown interiors featuring gunmetal trim.

IIHS has released its list of Top Safety Picks for 2023, which includes 48 models across both Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ categories — less than half compared to the 101 models that qualified in 2022.