Safest Cars for Teen Drivers

Learning to drive and getting his or her first car are milestones in a teenager’s life. Many teens look forward to the independence that knowing how to drive and having his or her own car can bring.

Because not all cars are created equally in terms of safety, many parents and teens want to make sure they have the safest car possible when learning how to drive. Seatbelts and airbags are standard safety features in many but not all cars and are important things for a car to have. Even if it doesn’t have airbags, a seatbelt can greatly reduce the chances of death or serious injury in the event of a crash.

Many times, parents and teens want different things in terms of their first car – teens want something sporty and stylish, while parents are more concerned with reliability, insurance rates, and safety. The following are some of the best and safest cars for teen drivers that are sure to be a nice compromise for both parents and teens:

Honda Civic. This has been the most popular car for teens for years, and for good reason. It is stylish and sporty, which teens like, and it has a number of safety features and low insurance rates, which parents prefer. It has won a number of awards for numerous years, including Car of the Year and a Consumer Reports Top Pick. For those concerned with fuel economy, a hybrid version is also available at a higher cost.

Toyota Corolla. Many people like the Corolla for the same reasons as the Civic – reliability, safety, and good to purchase both new and used. The Corolla has airbags and seatbelts, and many of the newer models also have a stability control option, which is one of the safest features a car today can have.

Nissan Sentra: The Nissan Sentra is also a great car for teens. While it is safe and reliable, however, many don’t consider it as stylish or comfortable as a Civic or a Corolla. However, it is still a safe, reliable, and inexpensive car (comparatively) for teen drivers.

Ford Focus. Another good option for teens, the Ford Focus has standard safety features and is sporty and fun. There are about twelve different variations of the Ford Focus, from 4-doors to hatchbacks, making something for everyone. However, it has lower reliability rates than a Honda or Toyota, even though it is in a similar price range.

Mazda 3. The Mazda 3 is also a good car and reasonably priced. In terms of comfort and interior features, the Mazda is nothing special, but it is considered a good, safe, and recommended car for teen drivers.

Mitsubishi Lancer. The Lancer is a popular choice for teens, as it is sporty and fast and safe at the same time. This car is also reasonably priced, but it also has a number of things you may want to consider before purchasing, such as reliability ratings, which are not as high as Hondas, Toyotas, or Nissans, and it also has higher insurance rates.

Whether you or your teen are getting a new or used car for your teen driver, it is important that you get one with standard safety features, like airbags, anti-lock brakes, and so forth. These are just a few good cars that are recommended for teen drivers.

Leave a comment

Free Newsletter

Get educational "Surfing the Net with Kids" website recommendations in your mailbox every week, from Surfnetkids.com syndicated columnist Barbara J. Feldman:

Contact Us

Have questions or comments? We want to hear from you. Contact Barbara Feldman and the crew via the Reply to Barbara help desk.

About Surf Net Parents

Surf Net Parents is part of the Surfnetkids.com family of sites from syndicated columnist Barbara J. Feldman. The title, which now sounds silly, grew from wanting to expand from "Surfing the Net with Kids" to "Surfing the Net with Parents."

Subscribe to Our Feed

  • Surf Net Parents
  • Add to Google Reader or Homepage
  • Subscribe in NewsGator Online
  • Subscribe in Rojo
  • Add  to Newsburst
  • Add to My AOL
  • Add to netvibes
  • Subscribe in Bloglines