Safety is critically important when choosing a vehicle for a younger driver. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. There are many reasons for that statistic, ranging from inexperience and distraction to risky behaviors such as speeding or alcohol use. But the bottom line is that many parents want to mitigate risk as much as possible when selecting a vehicle for their first-time drivers. Yet budget is also a factor; teen drivers often end up with a hand-me-down vehicle or a used vehicle.
To help you decide on what might be best for a young driver in your family, Edmunds’ car experts turned to crash test ratings published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. We identified two cars, two SUVs, and one pickup truck that earn favorable IIHS ratings and can potentially be purchased for less than $20,000 and have less than 75,000 miles on them. We also took into account Edmunds reviews that evaluate qualities such as comfort, fuel economy and technology features. These are the five vehicles we would consider for the kids in our lives, listed in alphabetical order.
