American teens are known for driving used cars. But parents, beware! Recents studies have shown that, even though you may be keen on saving some bucks when it comes to purchasing a used car, the most important thing you should focus on is your kids’ safety. Therefore, buy a big car, or a not-so-used car. And remember, the less worn it is, the less you’ll pay for car insurance for teens.
What are the top 10 cars for teens out there on the market?
NBC News made a lengthy list of the top ten cars for teens that are both the best and safest. Check them out below:
- Ford Taurus
- Honda Accord
- Ford Fusion
- Scion xB
- Subaru Legacy
- Volkswagen Jetta Sedan
- Audi A3 2.0T
- Toyota Corolla
- Subaru Impreza 2.5i
- Honda Civic four-door
On the other hand, Autobytel, an online publication widely known for reviewing automobiles, made a ranking of its own and focused mostly on price. All of the models can be bought for less than $10,000. Here’s the list of good cars for teenagers the Autobytel editors came up with:
- Honda Civic
- Toyota Corolla
- Ford Ranger
- Scion xB
- Subaru Forester
- Mazda3
- Toyota Tacoma
- Nissan Altima
- Toyota Prius
- Ford Fusion
Lastly, the ranking we are referring to and the one we also consider to be the most accurate is the one put together by NY Daily News. As of July 2014, these are the safest cars for teens on the market, which can be bought for less than $20,000. We’ve added 5 more models of our own, so this is indeed a list of the top 10 cars for teenagers. So, if you’re interested in paying more than a little on a good first car for teens, these are the vehicles you have to choose from:
- The 2014 Dodge Dart SXT comes at a base price of $19,845, has a fuel economy of 27 mpg and is extraordinarily safe, thanks to its 10 airbags.
- Another cool alternative is the new 2014 Ford Focus SE, which can be purchased for $19,220 (if you like sedans) or $19,720 (if you’re more of a hatchback person). It offers drivers a slightly higher fuel economy, thanks to its 31 mpg. It comes with 7 airbags and an automatic 911 Assist Service.
- Coming from behind is the fresh 2014 Honda Civic LX. As you’ve probably noticed, Hondas are loved by automobile reviewers. This brand manages to come up in every ranking mostly because of its safety specs. The model we’re referring to can be bought for $18,990 (Coupe) or $19,190 (Sedan). From a fuel efficiency point of view, it’s even more competitive than the Ford Focus, with a 33 combined mpg. The 6 airbags and the HondaLink Assist system make it a noteworthy variant of teenage cars.
- Say ‘Hello!’ to the 2014 Hyundai Elantra. Want it? Buy it for $19,175, and you won’t be disappointed. You’ll get an average 33 mpg of fuel economy, 6 airbags and an impressive Automatic Collision Notification system. The latter sends signals to rescuers so they get to the scene of the accident as quickly as possible.
- The 2014 Mazda3 i Sport is one of those cool cars for teens that will have all your kid’s colleagues talking about. You can purchase it for a base price of $19,495. It’s slightly more fuel efficient than its counterparts (34 mpg) and it also comes with 6 airbags and an Automatic Emergency Notification service.
- Also a valid alternative, the 2014 Chevrolet Spark is one of those good first cars for teens. The price is more than friendly, since it can be bought for as little as $15,220. It’s also a great car for mpg, offering a combined fuel economy of 34. As for safety, the ten airbags it comes with aren’t there for nothing.
- The 2014 Kia Soul is yet another attention-worthy option. The car can be bought for an approximate price of $15,500, it’s got a gas efficiency of 27 and a rather refined suspension. Keep in mind that Kias are known for occasionally flunking safety tests, so you may want to invest a little more in installing safety devices if you choose this brand.
- The 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage could also be a thrilling model to buy your kids. It’s got an average price of $13,000 and an impressively high fuel efficiency for a non-hybrid car – 40 combined mpg. It doesn’t do worse in safety, thanks to Side Impact Beams, Driver Knee Airbags, and an Electronic Stability Control system.
- The 2014 Nissan Versa is a car that your teenage kid will learn to like. It may not wow you with its design, but you’ll pay an affordable price for it (a base one revolves around $11,990) and get a reasonable fuel efficiency (33 combined mpg). It did well in IIHS crash tests, so you have nothing to worry about.
- We’ll end this ranking with the 2014 Subaru Impreza. With a base price of around $17,810, the automobile couldn’t have missed this list of affordable top of cars for teenagers. It does well in fuel efficiency, thanks to a combined figure of 29 mpg, and guess what? It was the top pick of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, so you can stop fretting about your kid having an accident.
