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U.S. News & World Report: 2024 Best New & Used Vehicles For Teens

Written by CarPro | Jun 4, 2024 9:37:55 PM

Buying a new or used car for the teen driver in your family is a big decision. Car Pro Show radio host Jerry Reynolds shares his advice on how to pick your teen's first car here.  He also writes about a teen's first car being a lesson in life here. 

For some more guidance on choosing a vehicle, we turn to U.S. News & World report's 2024 Best Cars for Teens.  The awards recognize new and used cars that come highly recommended by critics plus also score well in factors including predicted reliability, safety features and crash scores. 

Hyundai most awarded brand

Hyundai secured the most wins in the Best New Cars for Teens categories, with four awards. It also won three awards in the Best Used Cars for Teens categories, something U.S. News calls a "testament to the brand's reputation for producing safe and feature-packed models across both new and used car segments."

Hybrids win six awards 

Hybrid vehicles won three of eight new-car categories and three wins across five used-car categories. U.S. News says these award winners should appeal to environmentally and financially conscious teenagers.

“Amidst the excitement of summer break, the 2024 Best Cars for Teens awards serve as a tool for families, ensuring their teen hits the road with confidence and safety,” explains Liz Opsitnik, executive editor, U.S. News. “Each winning vehicle offers active safety features and strong crash test ratings, empowering new drivers behind the wheel and reducing accident risks.”

Best New Cars For Teens safety features

All 2024 Best New Cars for Teens include safety features such as forward collision and lane-departure warnings, forward automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist. Select winners are also equipped with teen driver controls or available smartphone apps that send alerts when the car exceeds a set speed or is driven after designated curfews or outside of specified geographic areas. These features enable parents and guardians to set limits for teen drivers while simultaneously guiding them toward responsible and mindful driving habits.

2024 Best New Cars for Teens

WINNER

CATEGORY

2024 Kia Soul

Best SUV for Teens $20k to $25k

2024 Hyundai Elantra

Best Car for Teens $20k to $25k

2024 Hyundai Tucson

Best SUV for Teens $25k to $30k

2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid

Best Car for Teens $25k to $30k

2024 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid

Best SUV for Teens $30k to $35k

2024 Subaru Legacy

Best Car for Teens $30k to $35k

2024 Subaru Outback

Best SUV for Teens $35k to $40k

2024 Toyota Camry Hybrid

Best Car for Teens $35k to $40k

 

2024 Best Used Cars for Teens

2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Photo: CarPro.

 

WINNER

CATEGORY

2020 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Small SUVs

2021 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid

Small Cars

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe

Midsize SUVs

2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

Midsize Cars

2021 Nissan Maxima

Large Cars

 

U.S. News says each Best New Cars for Teens winner delivers the best combination of predicted reliability ratings, crash test scores, available advanced driver-assistance features and top critics’ recommendations in its price category. 

To be a a Best Used Car for Teens winner, a vehicle must be from the 2019 through 2021 model years and have the best combination of dependability and safety ratings, projected ownership costs, positive reviews from critics and available crash-prevention tech in its category. 

To read more about the U.S News awards, click here.