There’s a reason teen drivers are the costliest motorists to insure. As in past eras, they’re new to driving, and all new drivers are still figuring out the finer points of car control and the rules of the road. They’re more likely to engage in risky behavior, as some readers may remember, and they face lots of distractions, from packed schedules to phones, friends, and the stresses of growing up. According to the CDC, teen drivers are three times as likely to be involved in a fatal car accident than drivers aged 20 and over. Three times!
Aside from the proliferation of phones, none of these facts are new. What is new are the big improvements in vehicle safety over the past two decades.
In 2003, features like automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alerts were still very new and rarely seen on anything but the most expensive or tech-forward vehicles. In the past decade, many such features have been democratized to affordable machinery, and that can really help teen drivers.
As such, the 2020s are a whole new ballgame for teen drivers and their parents, but there are some caveats. The industry-wide adoption of these features also comes at a time when automakers are losing interest in affordable, entry-level vehicles and small cars, which are typically the kind of cars parents buy as first cars for teens, so there are fewer of them to choose from. Old favorites like the Volkswagen Golf aren’t available anymore, and while there are more choices from Audi, BMW, and Lexus, they’re prohibitively expensive to buy and insure.
Safety ratings agencies are also perpetually upping their standards, and in 2023 the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tightened its testing rules, which has further reduced the number of vehicles that earn the firm’s Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ rating. These ratings are often determined not only by crash tests but also the active-safety aspects of vehicles including collision avoidance and warning systems. Some other vehicles on last year’s list, like the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Ford Bronco Sport, have fallen off the list because of these tighter standards.
For our list of the safest cars for teen drivers, we required the vehicles to earn at least a Top Safety Pick rating for 2023, and better yet a Top Safety Pick+ rating for 2023 or 2024, and have a starting price below $30,000, which ruled out many midsize SUVs and sedans. The organization hasn’t finished its 2024 testing, but several of our choices have already earned Top Safety Pick+ designations for 2024. We’ve also factored in the one-to-five star ratings issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
All of the vehicles on this list have a baseline of airbags, seatbelts, electronic stability control, backup cameras, and other safety equipment mandated by the federal government, in addition to an ever-growing arsenal of advanced safety technology, making them the best choices for teens.
The Safest Cars for Teen Drivers in 2024
- 2024 Honda Civic
- 2024 Honda HR-V
- 2024 Hyundai Elantra
- 2024 Mazda3
- 2024 Mazda CX-30
- 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
- 2024 Subaru Impreza
- 2024 Toyota Corolla
- 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross
- 2024 Toyota Prius
2024 Honda Civic
Totally redesigned in 2022, the Honda Civic earns an IIHS Top Safety Pick rating for 2023 and 2024, partly on the strength of its healthy suite of active-safety features. Automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warnings with lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control are all bundled in and even work with the optional manual transmission, something some other automakers can’t seem to manage. A couple of systems, like blind-spot monitoring, are also optional.
Better still, the Civic is just a very good car to drive, communicating its limits very clearly to the driver and offering good performance and sure-footed front-wheel drive handling. In addition to its solid driving dynamics, which range from engaging in the standard 2.0-liter, 158-horsepower engine to honest fun in 200-hp Si form, the Civic is also very practical.
Almost all of its trims cost less than $30,000 to start and come with many amenities. The cabin is as roomy as Accords of the 1990s, with a big back seat and trunk, and there’s also a spacious hatchback version. All versions return good gas mileage and have a solid reputation for reliability. There’s a reason it's been a favorite for young drivers and first-time buyers for decades. The larger Honda Accord offers many similar features in a bigger package, but only its base model falls under $30,000.
2024 Honda HR-V
Honda’s smallest SUV, the HR-V is a cousin of the Civic under the skin. This is no bad thing, as the HR-V shares many of the Civic’s best traits. It’s easy and fun to drive even if there are no performance models or manual transmissions as on the Civic, and it comes with all of the same built-in and optional safety systems.
Automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, lane-departure warnings with lane-keep assist, it’s all there, though blind-spot monitoring and parking sensors are also still options here. The HR-V’s more robust structure, however, earns it a Top Safety Pick+ designation from IIHS, the organization’s highest rating. Similarly cheap crossovers like the Kia Seltos and Volkswagen Taos don’t do as well.
Although its footprint is a little smaller than the Civic’s, the HR-V is no less practical. It comes in a practical SUV/tall hatchback shape with more cargo volume than the Civic hatchback and a little more room for passengers, front and rear. Unlike the Civic, it can be optioned with all-wheel drive (AWD), which is another safety advantage, particularly for drivers who live in snowy or icy climates. Since it’s a little heavier, it gets worse gas mileage than the Civic, by about 3 to 5 mpg in every measure, but predicted reliability is just as good and even the most expensive trim starts at $29,700.
2024 Hyundai Elantra
Last redesigned in 2021, the Hyundai Elantra gets a light visual update for 2024, but it’s aged very well in every other sense. This affordable sedan (all but two trims are priced below $30,000 for 2024) offers more backseat space than any of its compact rivals, a huge trunk, and a lineup of frugal and engaging engines. There’s a high-performance Elantra N, but it’s priced well beyond $30,000 and would be an insurance nightmare for a teen driver. Better to stick with the standard 147-hp 2.0-liter engine, the very thrifty 139-hp 1.6-liter Hybrid, or the optional 201-hp 1.6-liter Turbo N-Line.
All of these engines deliver acceptable performance, and while the Elantra is not as engaging or communicative as the Honda Civic, it’s an excellent, easy-to-learn choice for a new driver. The hybrid will also deliver up to 54 mpg, which is a fuel savings that quickly adds up over other choices. The 2024 Elantra also earns a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS and (for 2023) five stars overall from NHTSA.
Hyundai makes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-following assist, driver attention warnings, and safe exit warnings standard equipment. Adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic braking with cyclist detection, and parking sensors are optional, and included on many of the higher trims.
2024 Mazda3
The Mazda 3 Sedan and Hatchback both earn IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and a five-star overall NHTSA rating for 2024. The slinky-looking hatchback is slightly more expensive than the sedan, but for the sake of argument, they’re at least comparably priced. Both cars offer two basic powerplants, a 191-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder or a 250-hp turbocharged version of the same engine, and both can be configured with front-wheel drive (FWD) by default or AWD (as an option). Mazda is very good at making its cars fun to drive, and either powertrain produces a car with capable driving dynamics. The Turbo is more fun, but it’s also unavailable for less than $30,000. For teen drivers, we’d stick with the S anyway.
There was a time when advanced safety technology was relegated to the higher trim levels, but the 2023 Mazda 3 has an impressive arsenal of technology even on the base model. Lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, pedestrian detection, and smart brake support, which helps shrink the Mazda 3’s braking distance in an emergency, are all standard across the board. Some “nice to have” features like traffic jam assist and front and rear parking sensors are only available on the top 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus trim, but all Mazda 3s are well equipped from the get-go.
2024 Mazda CX-30
Like the Honda HR-V and the Civic, the Mazda CX-30 is a close relative of its compact sedan sibling, the Mazda3. It rides the same platform, has similarly sleek looks, and uses the same 2.5-liter turbo and non-turbo engines. The CX-30 costs a little more than the 3, but also offers a considerable increase in interior room and cargo space. In a pinch, it can also engage in some light off-road duty or tolerate dirt and gravel roads that the Mazda3 would have a harder time with.
As on the 3, the Turbo models are expensive, starting at more than $34,000, but the regular CX-30 is well-equipped, fun to drive, and has a very upscale feel. It does a pretty good impression of a BMW X1 for far less money. As on the 3, there’s also a massive list of advanced safety technology on the base 2.5 S trim level. It includes driver attention alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with stop & go, rear cross-traffic alerts, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.
There are a few things you’ll need to step up to the top 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus to get, like traffic jam assist, front and rear parking sensors, and rear smart brake support. All this earns the 2024 CX-30 a Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS and five stars from NHTSA.
2024 Subaru Crosstrek
The Subaru Crosstrek has been redesigned for 2024 and there’s no more manual transmission option, but in a way that’s better for teen drivers. Now every version of this affordable go-anywhere machine gets the automaker’s full EyeSight suite of safety gear, one of the best in the industry. Advanced adaptive cruise control and lane centering, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, driver attention monitors, blind-spot monitoring, pre-collision braking, all are present and work well. The 2024 model even touts a new feature, automatic emergency steering that can help evade collisions; or at least mitigate some of the potential damage. In previous years, the optional manual models came without most of this gear.
Although its systems and styling have been comprehensively updated, the 2024 Crosstrek is more of a heavy refresh than a complete redesign, and it stays true to the model’s established formula. AWD is standard as on nearly all other Subarus, and there are a pair of flat-four engines to choose from, a 2.0-liter with 152 hp and a 2.5-liter with 182, both mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). On-road performance is tepid, but the Crosstrek has real off-road talent, and there’s an even more hard-core Wilderness version with 9.3 inches of ground clearance and other off-road extras. Only the 2.0-liter models, however, fall under the $30,000 barrier.
The Crosstrek’s hatchback body is cargo-friendly and capacious, and its systems are easy to use. It’s an easy vehicle for a new driver to acclimate to and puts reliability and capability ahead of performance. It’ll also return up to 29 mpg combined.
2024 Subaru Impreza
If the Impreza looks a little like the Crosstrek, your eyes do not deceive you. The Crosstrek is based on the Impreza and both cars share the same hatchback shape and nearly all of their systems, including engines and safety gear. The Impreza sits much lower and isn’t intended for off-road use. It’s about 100 pounds lighter, model for model, and it’s quite a bit less expensive than the Crosstrek, which itself is a bargain for what it is. Both are redesigned for 2024, though they reuse lots of pieces of the previous model.
Curiously, the Impreza earns a Top Safety Pick+ designation from IIHS while the Crosstrek gets the second-tier Top Safety Pick nod. Both get five stars overall from NHTSA. The difference seems to lie in IIHS’ “Side updated test,” where the Crosstrek gets an “Acceptable” and the Impreza a “Good.” Both vehicles are quite safe, however, and practical.
The Impreza’s lower ground clearance also improves handling, as the center of gravity is lower, and the lower weight and reduced drag improve gas mileage versus the Crosstrek by about 1 mpg in every measure. The interior is basically the same, with a huge 20.4 cubic-feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 56 with them folded down, one of the best in the compact car class.
2024 Toyota Corolla
The Corolla has been a first-time-buyer favorite ever since it debuted in 1966, and the basic reasons for its popularity still apply. It isn’t exciting, although a new ultra-fast GR Corolla hot hatch was introduced in 2023, but it’s safe, easy-to-use, and reliable as sunrise. Small wonder, then, that it’s been a staple of high-school and college parking lots for decades. The current Corolla dates to 2019, but received significant updates in 2023. In addition to the GR Corolla, the lineup now contains more hybrid trims and more equipment, including a standard 8.0-inch infotainment screen running updated software.easy to use
Everything else is familiar, however. The regular engine is a 169-hp four-cylinder mated to a CVT, with FWD standard and AWD optional. Sedans also offer a hybrid drivetrain, with 138 system hp. It’s the cheapest hybrid on the market at under $25,000, but in both vehicles, performance is tepid and uninvolving. There’s also an attractive hatchback that forms the basis of the GR Corolla. In either body, rear seat, and cargo space trail the compact car pack, but everything is built to last and fuel economy is good, especially in the hybrid.
Both body styles earned 2023 Top Safety Pick designations from IIHS and five stars overall from NHTSA, and part of the reason is the Corolla’s vast array of active-safety gear. All Corollas get the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite of advanced safety technology, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and lane-tracing assist. The only optional safety technology is the blind-spot warning indicators and rear cross-traffic alert, which come in various packages.
2024 Toyota Corolla Cross
After first bowing in Southeast Asia in 2020, the Corolla Cross came stateside in 2022. It’s the first time this famous name has been applied to a crossover, and it’s based directly on the Corolla sedan’s platform, using the same safety systems and the same 169-hp engine, but in a big wagon shape. The back seat is still small for this vehicle’s size, and performance is anemic at best, but in 2023 Toyota added a more potent hybrid model that’s quieter, faster, and gets better gas mileage. It’s really the one to have, but only the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s lowest trim starts below $30,000.
With all of the same safety gear as the Corolla and and even beefier structure, the Corolla Cross also earned a Top Safety Pick nod from IIHS, but it still hasn’t been tested by NHTSA. This SUV is smaller and cheaper than the popular RAV4, and with the hybrid, it can return up to 42 mpg combined, which is stellar by SUV standards, and a number only bettered by other hybrids like the Kia Niro, which hasn’t been evaluated by the safety rating agencies. Even the regular Corolla Cross returns a very respectable 32 mpg combined in front-drive form, and AWD is optional.
The Corolla Cross expands the practicality of the basic Corolla package considerably, so if you like the sedan but need more room, it’s a good choice. Exciting it isn’t, but maybe that’s better for teenage drivers. If the Corolla Cross appeals but you don’t like the feel or looks, the slightly pricier Nissan Rogue also offers excellent fuel economy, a Top Safety Pick designation and more space.
2024 Toyota Prius
The most expensive vehicle on this list, only the base-grade Prius falls under our $30,000 barrier, but it’s worth it. The first and most popular mass-market hybrid car, the Prius got a ground-up redesign for 2023 This entirely remade version is both much prettier and far more enjoyable to drive than any previous iteration while also fulfilling the car’s basic mission. It’s hyper-efficient—capable of achieving up to 57 mpg combined—but it’s had upgrades in lots of other areas.
Toyota gave the redesigned Prius much more comfortable front seats, a boon to Uber drivers but also just regular civilians. There’s much more power, 194 hp (and 196 with AWD) to the previous-generation car’s 121, which finally makes this car more interesting to drive and less of a slug on the highway or off the line. Then there are the looks, which look straight out of a concept car studio. All told, it’s one of the best redesigns of a very established model in a long time, and no less practical or user-friendly. There’s also a plug-in hybrid Prius Prime, but it starts around $33,000.
What hasn’t changed are its array of safety systems. “The Toyota Safety Sense 3.0” includes forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking lane-departure warnings with lane-keep assist, exit warnings, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts, and “proactive driving assist,” which helps drivers automatically maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. The 2023 Prius earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation from IIHS, but hasn’t yet been tested by NHTSA.