There is no official “top 10” ranking of cars for teen drivers. For a first-car shortlist, start with models that have credible crash-protection or crash-avoidance evidence, then check the exact model year, trim, build date, price, and the teen’s ability to handle the vehicle. The ten models below are editorial candidates—not a tested ranking—and combine examples from IIHS awards and teen-vehicle recommendations. Some evidence is from lists updated in 2026, so it should not be mistaken for the May 2025 recommendations.
How to choose a car for a teenager
IIHS and Consumer Reports publish recommended vehicles and eligibility tiers; neither named an official “best 10” in the May 1, 2025 release. That release covered model-year 2025 new vehicles and used vehicles. Its criteria excluded performance-oriented cars and minicars or vehicles weighing less than 2,750 pounds. It also cautioned that large SUVs and pickups can be harder to handle and take longer to stop. Size alone does not determine safety: IIHS says an award-winning smaller vehicle may not protect occupants as well as a larger vehicle that did not win an award.
Use a safety award or teen-list appearance as a reason to investigate a particular vehicle, not as a substitute for checking its exact configuration. Handling, braking, visibility, control layout, condition, price, and the teen’s experience all matter. A test drive should include routine driving and a chance to get comfortable with the brakes and controls. Avoid choosing a vehicle simply because it is the largest available.
For the latest lists and eligibility details, see IIHS’s May 1, 2025 teen-vehicle announcement, the current Safe Vehicles for Teens page, updated May 27, 2026, and the 2025 IIHS award list. The current teen page is a later snapshot, not a reconstruction of the 2025 list.
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10 cars to consider for a teen driver
These candidates are not ranked, and they do not all have the same kind of evidence. An IIHS Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ is an award; a teen-list recommendation is a separate designation. Confirm the model year and configuration before relying on either.
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Mazda3
The 2025–26 Mazda3 is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+. The model also appears on the current IIHS/Consumer Reports teen page as a new-vehicle choice and a used Best Choice. Those current list entries should not be read as a claim about its tier on the May 2025 list. Check the particular car’s year, trim, condition, and price.
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Toyota Camry
The 2025–26 Camry is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and appears as a new-car choice on the current teen page. The current used Best Choice entry covers model years 2019–25, including hybrid versions. Verify that a used car falls within the applicable year and configuration criteria.
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Honda Civic
The 2025–26 Civic hatchback earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+, while the 2025 sedan appears as a Top Safety Pick. The current used teen list includes eligible 2014–25 Civic coupes and sedans as Good Choices. The award status differs by body style, so identify whether the car is a hatchback, sedan, or coupe before comparing it.
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Toyota Prius
The 2025–26 Prius is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and appears among new choices on the current teen page. Treat that as current-list and award evidence, not proof that the Prius was on the 2025 teen recommendation list.
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Hyundai Kona
The 2025–26 Kona is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and is listed as a new-vehicle choice on the current teen page. Check the exact model year and trim, and assess whether the driver is comfortable with its visibility, controls, and handling.
Rank #3
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Hyundai Tucson
The 2025 Tucson is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+. The current teen page includes it among new choices and as a used Best Choice for eligible 2022–25 model years. Confirm eligibility for the specific vehicle rather than assuming every Tucson from those years qualifies.
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Mazda CX-30
The 2025–26 CX-30 is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and a current teen-list new choice. The current used Best Choice entry covers eligible 2021–25 models subject to a stated build-date boundary. Check the driver-door certification label against the current page’s criteria.
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Subaru Forester
The 2025 Forester, excluding Wilderness trim, is an IIHS Top Safety Pick. The current teen page identifies 2019–25 Foresters as used Best Choices. Do not assume the Wilderness trim shares the 2025 award status; verify the trim and the specific used vehicle’s eligibility.
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Hyundai Sonata
The 2025–26 Sonata is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ subject to a build-date caveat. The current teen page includes new Sonata choices, including hybrid versions, and eligible 2016–25 used versions as Good Choices. Confirm the build date and whether the vehicle is a hybrid before applying the award or used-list criteria.
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Toyota Corolla Cross
The 2025–26 Corolla Cross is an IIHS Top Safety Pick. It is included here as an award example, not as a claim that it appears on the current teen recommendation list. Use the award as one point of comparison and check the exact vehicle’s safety equipment and condition.
What used-car prices can—and cannot—tell you
The current IIHS/Consumer Reports teen page lists used-price examples based on Black Book data obtained in April 2026. Those figures are median retail prices across trims for the earliest applicable model year, rounded to the nearest $100. They are not 2025 prices, not quotes for every model year, and not guarantees of local transaction prices.
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| Model | Current used-price example | What the figure represents |
|---|---|---|
| Mazda CX-5 | $13,100 | Median retail price across trims for the earliest applicable model year, based on Black Book data obtained in April 2026; rounded to the nearest $100. |
| Mazda3 | $13,200 | Median retail price across trims for the earliest applicable model year, based on Black Book data obtained in April 2026; rounded to the nearest $100. |
| Subaru Forester | $15,900 | Median retail price across trims for the earliest applicable model year, based on Black Book data obtained in April 2026; rounded to the nearest $100. |
| Toyota Camry | $17,300 | Median retail price across trims for the earliest applicable model year, based on Black Book data obtained in April 2026; rounded to the nearest $100. |
These examples illustrate why a recommendation list is not a price promise. Actual asking and transaction prices depend on model year, mileage, trim, condition, location, and market timing. The May 2025 IIHS release described 74 used vehicles priced at $10,000 or less, another 48 models under $20,000 with automatic emergency braking and highly rated headlights, and 22 new model-year 2025 recommendations. Those are counts from the 2025 release, not a combined snapshot with the later used-price examples.
Check the exact vehicle before buying
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Match the vehicle to the evidence. Confirm model year, body style, trim, and—where applicable—build date. IIHS notes that some exceptions depend on build date; use the certification label near the driver’s door to identify it.
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Check for open recalls. Check the car’s VIN or license plate before buying a used vehicle. The current IIHS Safe Vehicles for Teens page links to a recall-checking resource and relays NHTSA advice to check again about every six months, since new recalls can be issued.
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Assess fit and condition in person. Have the teen try the driving position, visibility, controls, and braking in a test drive. A safety designation does not establish the present condition of a used vehicle or show that a particular driver will find it easy to operate.
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Compare total affordability. Treat published used-price figures as reference points, not quotes. Check local listings and account for the specific car’s condition and configuration.
A safer car is only one part of teen-driver safety
NHTSA reported that 752 teen drivers died in crashes in 2024 and that 2,320 teen drivers were involved in crashes in which someone died. In 2024, speeding was a factor for 33% of passenger-vehicle teen drivers involved in fatal crashes, and 22% of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes had been drinking. These statistics describe risk across teen driving; they do not show that any one car model prevents crashes. NHTSA’s parent guidance for talking with teen drivers is a useful companion to the vehicle decision.
Quick Recap
- Make seat-belt use non-negotiable for the driver and every passenger.
- Set clear rules against phone distraction and driving after alcohol or drugs.
- Reinforce safe speeds and require the teen to follow local graduated-driver-licensing limits on passengers and nighttime driving.
- Make adequate sleep part of the driving plan.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
