What Are the Safest Cars for Your Teenager?
Parents shopping for their teen child’s first car face a dilemma. New cars feature the most advanced safety technology, including collision sensors and automatic braking systems. However, these vehicles are also the most expensive to purchase and insure. Used cars are less pricey but may not provide the desired protection.
Balancing these interests can be tricky. Luckily, several tools can help you choose the right car for your teenager.
The U.S. government uses a five-star safety rating system that lets buyers compare vehicle safety features. Similarly, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tests and rates vehicles for safety. These databases provide information on new and used cars.
What Makes a Vehicle Safe?
The injuries and property damage resulting from a car accident depend on the size and speed of the vehicles involved. Larger, heavier vehicles tend to protect occupants better than smaller, lighter ones. This is why truck drivers are injured less frequently than motorists in passenger vehicles involved in truck accidents.
On the other hand, shorter vehicles are less likely to roll over in an accident scenario than taller vehicles. As such, sedans, compact cars, and crossover SUVs are usually less prone to rollover accidents than minivans and full-size SUVs. Rollovers can cause fatal injuries, as occupants can be ejected from the vehicle as it rolls.
Technology can also reduce crash risk. Warning systems can alert drivers to impending collisions. Lane departure sensors tell drivers when they’ve drifted out of their lane. Frontal collision sensors detect the distance to a fixed object or vehicle and warn drivers when they may be at risk of a rear-end collision.
Additional Considerations When Purchasing a Vehicle
In addition to a vehicle’s crashworthiness, there are various other factors to consider. Reliability is important because a mechanical breakdown could leave your child stranded. Aside from being hit in or near their disabled vehicle, they could also be exposed to environmental risks, such as snow or heat, or even criminal acts.
The vehicle you choose can also determine the insurance cost. All drivers in Colorado must carry liability insurance for bodily injury and property damage. Liability insurance costs depend primarily on the driver’s history and age. However, optional coverages like collision and comprehensive are based on the vehicle’s value. Expensive cars typically cost more to insure.
Safe Used Vehicles
With all of these factors in mind, the IIHS identifies the following used vehicles as safe for teens:
- Toyota Corolla, between 2017 and 2019, or 2023 and newer
- Toyota Prius and Toyota Prius Prime, 2017 or newer
- Toyota Camry, 2018 or newer
- Toyota Corolla Cross, 2022 or newer
- Toyota Highlander, 2017 or newer
- Honda Insight, between 2019 and 2022
- Honda Civic hatchback or sedan, 2022 or newer
- Honda Accord, 2021 or newer
- Hyundai Sonata, 2023 or newer
- Hyundai Tucson, 2022 or newer
- Honda Pilot, 2019 or newer
- Honda Passport, 2019 through 2021
- Mazda 3 hatchback or sedan, 2020 or newer
- Mazda 6, between 2019 and 2021
- Mazda CX-3, 2020 and 2021
- Mazda CX-5, 2020 or newer
- Subaru Forester, 2019 or newer
- Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, 2019
- Subaru Legacy, 2020 or newer
- Subaru Outback, 2020
- Subaru Ascent, 2021 or newer
- Nissan Maxima, 2020 or newer
- Nissan Rogue, 2021 or newer
- Kia K5, 2021 or newer
- Kia EV6, 2022 or newer
- Lexus IS, 2017 or newer
- Volvo S60, 2021 or 2022
- Volkswagen Tiguan, 2022 or newer
- Chevrolet Trailblazer, 2021 or newer
- Ford Bronco Sport, 2021 or newer
- Ford Explorer, 2020 or newer
- Acura RLX, 2018 through 2020
- BMW X2, 2019 or newer
Just because a particular vehicle didn’t make the IIHS’s list doesn’t necessarily mean it’s unsafe. It simply means that it didn’t perform as well in the group’s safety tests.
New Vehicles with Good Safety Ratings
The IIHS also tests new vehicles annually; Its top selections for safety include the following 2025 vehicles:
- GMC Acadia (built after January 2025)
- Honda Accord
- Honda Civic sedan
- Honda HR-V
- Honda Pilot
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Hyundai Ioniq 6
- Hyundai Kona
- Hyundai Santa Fe (built after November 2024)
- Hyundai Tucson
- Kia Telluride
- Lexus NX
- Mazda 3 hatchback
- Mazda 3 sedan
- Mazda CX-30
- Mazda CX-50
- Mazda CX-70
- Mazda CX-90
- Subaru Ascent
- Subaru Forester (excludes Wilderness trim)
- Subaru Solterra
- Toyota Camry
The IIHS recommends adding optional safety features, such as collision avoidance, when purchasing these new vehicles to maximize safety.
Contact Our Denver Car Accident Lawyers at Zaner Law Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Safety should be a top priority when purchasing your teen’s first car. While their risk of crashing is much higher than yours, you can protect them by finding a new or used vehicle designed with safety in mind.
Having a crashworthy car can help keep your teen safe, but it can’t prevent others from negligently colliding with them. If your child has been in a preventable accident, contact Zaner Law Personal Injury Lawyers to discuss the compensation you can seek for their injury-related losses. Call us at (720) 613-9706
