New and second hand used cars that are displayed for sale outside a dealership on March 19, 2026 in Weston-super-Mare, England. (Photo by Anna Barclay/Getty Images)
A new study is providing parents with affordable and safe ways to assist their teen drivers in getting out on the road.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Consumer Reports (CR) have released their annual list of the best vehicles for new drivers.
The organizations identified 45 used vehicles priced under $10,000 that offer solid crash protection and meet recommended safety standards for teenage drivers. Additionally, according to their research, another 29 available under $20,000 have advanced safety technologies such as highly rated headlights and automatic braking systems capable of detecting pedestrians.
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What they're saying:
Researchers say the annual recommendations are designed to help families find vehicles that balance a good price with safety at a time when inexperienced drivers face elevated crash risks.
"We curate this annual list specifically for teens because driving holds extra risk for them," said IIHS Senior Research Scientist Rebecca Weast. "That said, the suggestions are suitable for drivers of any age looking to balance affordability with crash protection and crash avoidance."
"A teen’s first car is a major milestone. Whether you’re buying them a vehicle or deciding which family car they should begin driving, these lists help parents make those choices with confidence, and without compromising on safety," said Emily A. Thomas, associate director of auto safety at Consumer Reports.
What we know:
The recommendations include two tiers of used vehicles, the best choices and a list of the good choices.
They also made it a point to include things teens should avoid, such as vehicles with powerful engines that could lead to young drivers taking more risks, minicars due to inadequate protection in crashes and larger SUVs or pickups because they could be hard to handle.
In addition to curb weight, the Best Choices have standard automatic emergency braking systems that earn an advanced or superior rating from IIHS.
Best Choices
The prices below were obtained from Black Book in April 2026. They represent the median retail price for all trims o each model for the earliest available model year.
Good Choices
The prices below were obtained from Black Book in April 2026. They represent the median retail price for all trims o each model for the earliest available model year.
Dig deeper:
All the selected vehicles have a curb weight greater than 2,750 pounds, according to the study. They also have earned a good rating from IIHS in the driver-side small overlap front test.
Consumer Reports scored each for braking and emergency and routine handling. They also received scores on controls and displays, excluding models with confusing and distracting setups.
Some other considerations the research showed, suggestions that families may want to consider a vehicle's reliability and cost of insurance into the purchase decision.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Consumer Reports. This story was reported from Orlando.