KBB:  Best New And Used Cars For Teens

Getting a teen their first car can be scary for a parent.  Car Pro Show host Jerry Reynolds says a teen's first car is a lesson in life, and he shares some advice on the subject here.  He also shares advice on how to pick your teen's first car here.

When it comes to which specific makes and models you might consider, we turn to Kelley Blue Book's 2024's Best Cars for Teens.  The list - with both new and used vehicles - features a variety of vehicles that KBB's experts recommend for teens based on key data. It also gives some helpful advice on what to consider during this crucial time.

First, KBB shares these stats about today's teen drivers:

• According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), teens drive less than all but the oldest people (80+), yet their instances of crashes and crash deaths are unreasonably high. Motor vehicle crashes are the third leading cause of teenage deaths, behind homicide and suicide.
• According to the latest IIHS data (from 2021), on average in the United States, eight 16- to 19-year-olds were killed in car crashes every day.
• The latest IIHS data shows more than 1,300 teen drivers between 15 and 20 years old died in crashes, taking 900 teen passengers with them.

"The latest statistics speak for themselves – safety is the No. 1 thing parents should focus on when choosing a car for their teen," said Brian Moody, executive editor for Kelley Blue Book. "We understand that every family operates under different budget parameters, so we offer new and used vehicle options from a wide variety of different price points in our Best Cars for Teens lists. Yet regardless of price, safety was the absolute main qualifier for each of our best car picks."

KBB's DOs and DON'Ts for Parents of Teen Drivers:

• Do balance the potential vehicle's cost with the safety features it includes.
• Do take insurance considerations into account. Adding a teenager to your car insurance is costly.
• Do enroll your teen in a driver safety program. Not only can this possibly lower your insurance costs, but such programs help hone a young driver's awareness and skills.
• Don't buy certain types of vehicles for new teen drivers. The experts do not recommend tiny city cars, sports cars, big SUVs or pickup trucks, or high-horsepower cars for new drivers.
• Don't let your teen driver dictate buying decisions based on their idea of a dream car. Flex your parental muscles, stay grounded and be sure to heavily weigh safety factors in all your choices.

Key Safety Information to Consider:

Safety technology gets expensive, and KBB says it's one of the factors pushing up the sticker cost of new cars. Its experts suggest that if your family can afford to buy a new car for your teen, look for a vehicle that has all of the following features: Advanced Safety and Driver-Assist Features: anti-lock brakes, traction control, stability control, forward-collision warning, blind-spot monitoring.

If you're buying a used car, your chances of finding more of these safety features improves with a newer model car. These features may not come standard on the base model, so you may need to shop for a mid- or upper-level trim. Generally speaking, the higher trim level you can find, the more safety features the car is likely to have.

KBB's 2024 Best Cars for Teens List

Now for KBB's Best Cars for Teens list which is based on specific parameters, including:

• Pricing was based on Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price range.
• Where a model offers both a sedan and hatchback, pricing was used for the sedan.
• All picks in the "Under $30,000" and "Under $20,000" lists come with the advanced safety and driver-assist features listed above, and they all have at least a "Good" rating in at least five of the IIHS crash tests.
• However, almost all the vehicles listed at the various price points are a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+.
• While older vehicles often are not available with all the latest safety features, the vehicles selected in the more affordable Best Cars for Teens lists have many of them and performed very well in NHTSA and IIHS testing.
• All vehicles listed are lauded for their reliability and fuel economy.