What was your first car?
For many drivers, the first taste of absolute freedom coming of age is that first drive after passing the driver’s test and tasting the air on the open road behind the wheel. It’s the first feeling of near-total autonomy; the idea that you could stay out late, pick up your friends, go to the mall, the movies, or [insert your teenage hangout spot] without calling mom or dad to pick you up at a certain time.
Indeed, we still had to go to school, but from my experience, rolling up to your spot in the senior parking lot is much better than sharing a school bus with the freshmen. Looking back on my first years behind the wheel, it’s easy to understand how choosing a first car for a new, teen driver can be a costly and anxiety-ridden experience for parents, as they not only have to juggle a limited budget, but also the stress of finding something that would keep their precious munchkins safe in the unfortunate event of a crash.
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The safety experts pick their favorite budget cars for your youngins
Luckily, the experts at Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) collaborated with Consumer Reports to compile a list of the safest cars for teenage drivers for parents on tight budgets. All the cars on the IIHS’s list weigh at least 2,750 pounds and earned a rating of at least 3 out of 5 in Consumer Reports’ braking, emergency handling, and routine handling tests, which it feels is key in helping young drivers drive defensively and avoid accidents.
In addition, all the cars listed earned at least a 2 out of 5 in CR’s control and display usability to keep teens’ eyes off the screens as much as possible. They have electronic stability control, and absolutely none of the institute’s choices are big SUVs, pickup trucks, sports cars, high-performance models, or over $20,000 for one in good condition and low miles (according to data from Kelley Blue Book).
IIHS picks for best used small cars: Toyota Corolla, Honda Insight, Mazda3 hatchback
Toyota
Compact cars are a good choice for a first car, and the three most inexpensive models on the IIHS’s Best Choices list are some of the smallest in this specific group. The cheapest car on this list is the 2017-2019 Toyota Corolla sedan, which has an estimated KBB price of $9,500. 2023 and newer models are also good, but prices for those will be significantly higher than for the older models.
The IIHS also recommends the 2019-2022 Honda Insight, which has an average KBB value of $11,600. Prior to the reintroduction of the Honda Civic Hybrid, the Insight was Honda’s compact hybrid offering, providing fuel-sipping EPA fuel economy numbers of 55 mpg city, 49 mpg, and 52 mpg combined—numbers that can give peace of mind for youngins between fuel stops and keep parents from their kids nagging for gas money.
Though no bona fide sports cars are on the IIHS’s list, the closest thing to it is the 2019-present Mazda 3 hatchback, which can go as low as $12,100, according to KBB data. Though its standard 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G inline-four cylinder pumps out 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, experts state that its premium looks and fun-to-drive persona make a compelling package.
IIHS picks for best used mid-size cars: Toyota Camry, Mazda6, Subaru Legacy
Toyota
Although compact cars are a good choice for young drivers, sometimes life’s activities require more space, or sometimes the new driver’s car becomes the default family hauler or grocery getter. In times like these, midsize sedans are the way to go, and the cheapest in this category on the IIHS’s Best Choices list is the venerable 2018-present Toyota Camry. With an estimated KBB value as low as $13,100, the Camry’s larger size can help solve situations when a Corolla is too small.
The IIHS also recommends the 2019-2021 Mazda6, though it only applies to units built after June 2019. While it may be a bit of a bump up in price at a KBB-estimated $14,000, the Mazda6 offers a slightly more premium and driver-focused feel akin to the smaller and cheaper Mazda3.
The 2020-present Subaru Legacy rounds out the top three on the IIHS’s Best Choices list, with an estimated KBB value as low as $15,700. While it is a higher price on average than a Camry or a Mazda6, the Subie sedan has the distinction of having the automaker’s signature Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive as standard, which can prove useful on those days when a blizzard didn’t call for a snow day.
IIHS picks for best used large cars: Genesis G80, Genesis G90, Acura RLX
Genesis Motors
Many of the full-size cars offered today are from luxury brands. However, for the price, teen drivers will have a lot of car for the price. The least expensive of the IIHS’s Best Choices is the 2017-2020 Genesis G80 at a KBB-estimated $12,200, which offers modern comfort features and also earned Top Safety Pick+ distinction from the Institute.
The Genesis’s larger sibling, the G90, can be had for not much more than the G80. According to Kelley Blue Book, 2017-2022 iterations of the G90 have a Blue Book value of $12,400 on the private market.
However, the 2018-2020 Acura RLX could also prove to be a good value for teens at a KBB-estimated $16,700. Acura packed a full suite of driver-assist features, which includes automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assist.
IIHS picks for best used small SUVs: BMW X2, Mazda CX-3, Subaru Forester
Drew Phillips
Many parents will likely consider putting their children into small SUVs and crossovers, as their popularity would almost guarantee their availability, and their upright and elevated driving positions would make both young drivers and parents comfortable on suburban roads littered with Tahoes and F-150s.
The least expensive of the IIHS’s Best Choices in this category is the 2019-present BMW X2, with a KBB-estimated value of $12,200 on the used market. While the BMW badge may carry some clout in the senior parking lot, parents should be warned that it could also carry higher premiums with insurance companies and higher shop bills for maintenance and repairs.
The 2020-2021 Mazda CX-3 is the next small SUV on the IIHS’s list at a KBB-estimated $12,900, though the word ‘small’ shouldn’t be considered an understatement. The CX-3’s size classifies it officially as a subcompact crossover SUV, putting it on the small side among other options. However, it can be a nimble, fuel-efficient, and affordable option for a teen driver.
However, the 2019-present Subaru Forester, which has a KBB-estimated used value of $13,000, rounds out the top three of the IIHS’s Best Choices in this category. The Forester is one of Subaru’s top-selling models and is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+, as it features standard Symmetrical all-wheel drive and Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology suite of driver assistance features.
IIHS picks for best used mid-size SUVs: Acura MDX, Volvo XC90, Lexus NX
Acura
The biggest vehicles on the IIHS’s list are midsize SUVs, as it feels that the longer stopping distance and unpredictable handling associated with full-size SUVs and pickup trucks could prove to be dangerous in the hands of teen drivers.
The cheapest vehicle here is the 2017-2020 Acura MDX, which has a KBB-estimated value of $13,100 on the used market. Though Acura is a premium luxury brand, the MDX’s Honda underpinnings can help parent and kid owners keep some peace of mind when it comes to maintenance and repairs. In addition, our experts find that it is as family-friendly as it is enjoyable to drive.
The IIHS also recommends the 2018-or-newer Volvo XC90, though it emphasizes vehicles built after March 2018. Its KBB-estimated value of $14,600 is a small price to pay for a 3-row luxury SUV that is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick; a small token for Volvo’s kind reputation for unrelenting safety.
The 2019-present Lexus NX takes the third position in this category at a KBB-estimated value of $14,900, though it should be said that, like the Mazda CX-3, it is smaller than the other midsize SUVs above.
Final thoughts
The IIHS says that dollar values in the list above are rounded to the nearest $100 and are based on “average U.S. values from March 27, 2025, for the lowest trim level and earliest applicable model year.”
The list is supplemented by another list of more affordable “good choices” and additional “best choices,” which can be found on the IIHS’s website. Some of their “good choices” can go as low as KBB-estimated $5,500, which can be compatible with even the tightest budgets if buyers do their digging and research.
