STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — With the new school year now upon us, thousands of teen drivers are taking to the streets each weekday, as many more eagerly await their chance to hit the road.
If your child is among those preparing to get behind the wheel, making sure they’re in the right vehicle can do wonders for your peace of mind.
Obviously, parents want something safe and reliable for their kids, but often times don’t want to shell out big bucks for a starter car.
With that in mind, a new study from automotive research firm iSeeCars.com analyzed over 1.7 million used car sales from May through July 2022 to determine the safest, most reliable cars for teens that won’t break the bank.
“The moment your teen gets their driver’s license can be bittersweet. While it’s exciting to be officially relieved of chauffeur duties, it’s also frightening handing the keys over to a newly-minted driver. And for parents who choose to help their teen with the car search financially, it can be difficult to find a safe and reliable car that falls within budget, especially in the current used car market,” wrote Julie Blackley of iSeeCars.com.
First, researchers found used vehicles that had an average sales price of $25,000 or less and fuel efficiency of over 20 miles per gallon.
Then, they combined the safety and reliability scores from their annual Best Cars Ranking to determine the most well-equipped used cars for teen drivers across various vehicle types.
Here’s a look at the safest, most reliable used cars for teen drivers.
Best Small Car – 2017 Honda Civic (Coupe)
- 9.6 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $22,785 Average Used Car Price
Best Luxury Small Car – 2017 Volvo S60
- 9.4 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $23,135 Average Used Car Price
Best Midsize Car – 2017 Honda Accord
- 9.5 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $21,851 Average Used Car Price
Best Luxury Midsize Car – 2015 Lexus ES 350
- 9.5 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $24,252 Average Used Car Price
Best Large Car – 2015 Toyota Avalon
- 9.9 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $21,017 Average Used Car Price
Best Luxury Large Car – 2015 Acura RLX
- 8.9 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $22,682 Average Used Car Price
Best Small SUV – 2017 Subaru Outback
- 9.2 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $24,894 Average Used Car Price
Best Midsize SUV – 2015 Honda Pilot
- 9.3 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $21,060 Average Used Car Price
Best Luxury Midsize SUV – 2015 Acura MDX
- 9.0 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $23,924 Average Used Car Price
Best Minivan – 2015 Honda Odyssey
- 8.7 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $21,889 Average Used Car Price
Best Wagon – 2019 Subaru Impreza
- 8.5 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $23,784 Average Used Car Price
Best Luxury Wagon – 2015 Volvo V60
- 8.8 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $18,252 Average Used Car Price
Best Hybrid Car – 2017 Toyota Prius
- 8.8 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $24,967 Average Used Car Price
Best Luxury Hybrid Car – 2015 Lexus ES 300h
- 9.3 iSeeCars Safety and Reliability Score
- $24,052 Average Used Car Price