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 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."
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.”
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.
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WINNER |
CATEGORY |
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Best SUV for Teens $20k to $25k |
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Best Car for Teens $20k to $25k |
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Best SUV for Teens $25k to $30k |
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2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid |
Best Car for Teens $25k to $30k |
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Best SUV for Teens $30k to $35k |
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2024 Subaru Legacy |
Best Car for Teens $30k to $35k |
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Best SUV for Teens $35k to $40k |
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Best Car for Teens $35k to $40k |
2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Photo: CarPro.
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WINNER |
CATEGORY |
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2020 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid |
Small SUVs |
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Small Cars |
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Midsize SUVs |
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Midsize Cars |
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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.