Tips on choosing a car for your teen driver.
In the blink of an eye, your sweet little toddler has become an independent teenager. Along with asking to stay out late with friends and borrow your car keys, they've started to hint at getting their own set of wheels.
Maybe it's time.
If you're ready to go shopping for a starter car for your teenager, this first-hand insight from a handful of parents will help you put your search into high gear. Three families share their buying experiences, top desired features, and tips for other parents on how to find the best car for your teen driver.
Meet Amy & Alissa: "Having a kid with a car frees up some of my time."
In the summer of 2023, Amy and her husband purchased a used 2017 Chevrolet Cruze for their now 17-year-old daughter, Alissa. Her younger sister will also soon have access to the car.
"Both of my kids are involved in lots of activities and driving them around is time-consuming. My husband works 50+ hours a week, so much of the transportation falls on me since I'm a freelance writer with a flexible schedule. Having a kid with a car frees up some of my time," Amy shared.
The family lives in an area of Kansas with sparse public transportation, so getting their teenage daughters a car simply made sense. They did their research online to find a car that met all of their requirements, including good gas mileage, a compact size, and being budget-friendly.
"Our primary focus was driver aids first and tech features second," said Amy.
Some car brands offer specific features geared towards keeping younger drivers focused on the road and creating healthy driving habits. Every 2017 Chevy Cruze—like Alissa's, for example—comes equipped with Teen Driver Technology. With this feature, parents can set speed warnings or receive a "report card" that shows how frequently their teen gets a forward collision alert.
"We have turned on some features [in the infotainment settings] where she can't have phone conversations while driving,” said Amy. “It's just too distracting."
And what about Alissa? She loves the car choice and says the Bluetooth® connectivity feature is the best part because she can listen to her music, especially when she's driving her younger sister around.
If she had to do it over again, Amy says she wouldn't take her kids to the test drive because they fall in love at first sight. However, she does think it's a good idea for parents to bring the kid(s) along for the buying process— a great opportunity for an "adulting" lesson.
"Take some time to sit in the car with them and talk through all the features. Plus, go with them when they go to the gas station for the first time. Sometimes they just need someone to help them figure out how everything works or to answer questions they have," Amy added.
Meet Darin, Kim, Brady, and Maddi: "The entire process was a whirlwind of lessons learned for us. "
A few years ago, parents Darin and Kim bought a 2011 Lincoln MKX for their two teenage children to share since the siblings are close in age. Maddi (age 15) and Brady (age 17) use the vehicle to get to school, work, and social activities.
"Most of my son's friends were getting their first cars at this time, and this was a huge motivation," Kim explained. "Every weekend, another one of my son's friends was eager to share their new car with us. This motivation kept us on track shopping for a car on a regular basis."
Kim and Darin shopped for the used ride online from the comfort of their couch and then purchased it from a local dealership.
“Some of the options we looked for were all-wheel drive, good visibility, and all the newer technology," Kim added.
She says the look of the car was a concern for her also, because as a teacher, she knows presentation matters to the students. However, Darin wasn't as concerned and approved of a vehicle with small dents on the hood and door.
If they could re-do this buying experience, Kim and Darin say they would make some changes. They've made multiple trips to the mechanic, and "parts for the car are harder to find and have to be ordered, which adds to the repair time frame," Kim elaborated.
Kim encourages other parents to get their kids involved in the shopping and buying process. She says it helps them feel ownership of the car and learn the buying process.
"While giving their input, help them to see the importance of [certain] features and that these are non-negotiable. The entire process was a whirlwind of lessons learned for us," Kim shared. "I know through the experiences following the purchase they have learned about the expenses of owning and maintaining a car."
Meet Phil and his daughters: "Focus on big, [used,] and ugly when shopping for a car for your child.”
Phil taught his two teenage daughters how to drive in the 1990s. He says to focus on "big, [used], and ugly" when shopping for a car for your child. He says this approach can be more cost-effective—both for the car and car insurance.
He recommends doing your research. “There are lots of rating systems to [compare] various models.” For instance, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conduct crash testing and publish ratings and information to help you understand your options.
He also adds there's a benefit to teaching your teenager to drive in a car you know well. Both you and your teen may be more comfortable in that car than in something new, and it may give you an opportunity to upgrade your own ride.
It's time to buy, but where to begin?
If you need help deciding what models to consider for your teen's car, here are three recommendations. Each of these offers different qualities depending on your needs. Plus, they all scored well both with the Edmunds test team and customers who have owned them.
2019-2024 Mazda3
For many people, the go-to pick for a compact sedan would be the Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. And while those are solid choices, we want to present a compelling alternative that offers comparable features but also typically can be found for less than the Civic or Corolla.
The Mazda3 checks off several boxes for a teen driver. It is stylish and compact enough for a novice driver, gets a 4 out of 5 RepairPal® reliability rating, and has a premium-feeling interior that few vehicles in this price range offer. The Mazda3 is offered as either a sedan or a hatchback. The 2020 and newer models of the current generation Mazda3 have earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ designation. Mazdas are typically known for their engaging driving dynamics, which means that your teen should feel more connected to the road, which is good for novice drivers. Inside, the operating system features a rotary control knob, which Mazda designed to minimize distractions that might occur from a driver taking his or her eyes off the road to use a touchscreen. Instead, the driver can operate the system by touch. That said, there is a slight learning curve for those used to traditional touchscreens.
Some drawbacks include lower fuel economy ratings than competitors, a slightly firmer ride quality, and a smaller cargo area. If affordability is an issue, the previous Mazda3, specifically the 2014-2017 models, were also awarded Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS.
2016-2022 Toyota Prius
An issue that sometimes comes up for teen drivers is, "I don't have enough money for gas." The Toyota Prius was made to alleviate that concern. The fourth-generation Prius, or the body style before the current one, has an EPA-estimated fuel economy of up to 56 miles per gallon in mixed-driving conditions. It won't solve all your fuel cost issues, but you will be making far fewer trips to the gas station.
The Prius' engine won't wow you with its passing power, but as far as a teen is concerned, that's a feature, not a bug. The moderate horsepower can help keep your teen from speeding off at lights and make more measured decisions when passing another vehicle. Plus, this engine has been proven over the years, as it earned a RepairPal reliability score of 4.5 out of 5.
Like the Mazda 3, the 2016-2022 Prius has earned the IIHS' Top Safety Pick or better in nearly every year it was made. The Prius' hatchback body style offers plenty of cargo capacity for those who need to carry musical instruments to class or gear for the football team, for example.
2016-2021 Hyundai Tucson
This pick is for those who prefer an SUV over a sedan or hatchback body style. The Hyundai Tucson is a compact SUV that offers more features than a comparably equipped competitor. Notable strengths include a comfortable ride, an easy-to-use entertainment system, and a spacious interior. The Tucson also scored highly in RepairPal's reliability rating, where it earned a 4 out of 5.
You'll want to keep an eye out for the higher trims of the 2017-2018 Tucsons, which is when Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ integration first became available. It became a standard feature on 2019 and newer models. The goal of these systems is to reduce distractions by having the driver plug in his or her smartphone and issue commands on the touchscreen or via voice commands.
Since the 2016 model year, the Hyundai Tucson has been awarded a Top Safety Pick or better by the IIHS. It also earned five stars in NHTSA crash test ratings in all categories except for the rollover test, where it got a respectable 4 out of 5.
