Many parents agree that one of their biggest fears is letting their teenage child drive themselves around without direct supervision. Even after going through rigorous training and passing their driving test, teenagers are known to be the most dangerous drivers on the road. They are inexperienced, easily distracted, and more likely to do something that puts themselves, their passengers, and other road users at risk.
While parents can't control how their children drive, one critical thing they have control over is the type of vehicle the child drives. The size, power, handling, safety ratings, and technologies in a car can affect how safe it is to drive for a teenager, which is why parents must be careful when choosing a car for their teenage child. These cars are fun to drive and safe for your teenage child.
10 Chevrolet Equinox
The Chevrolet Equinox is a top-rated compact crossover and one of the most reliable SUVs in the market today. The vehicle offers excellent fuel economy, confident handling, and a top-tier infotainment system, everything that a teenage driver needs.
On top of that, the Equinox comes with a host of standard safety and driver-assist systems, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and a rear-seat reminder system. To give parents peace of mind, the Equinox comes with Chevrolet's Teen Driver system that allows them to set speed limits, lock the shifter until the driver wears their seat belt properly, and view reports on their child's driving habits.
9 Honda Fit
The latest Honda Fit is an excellent pick for a teen driver, particularly for parents on a tight budget. This subcompact hatchback has a lot going for it. For starters, it is among the safest cars you can buy in 2020. Parents can be sure that their child will be protected if they get into an accident, as the Honda Fit has a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.
The Fit is also practical and can hold 52.7 cubic feet of cargo with the rear seats folded down. With gas mileage of 40 mpg on the highway and 33 mpg in the city, the Fit is also one of the most fuel-efficient subcompact cars available today.
8 Honda Accord
For decades, the Honda Accord has been one of the top-selling midsize sedans in the US, and it's easy to see why. People love the Accord for its sleek design, upscale interior, above-average fuel economy, and lively handling. The latest Accord is also one of the safest cars at its price, having been named an IIHS Top Safety Pick.
Another thing that parents will love about the Accord is its durability. This car will take a beating after beating and still run. In fact, the Accord's level of quality is so high that one hit the one million miles mark on its odometer, a fantastic feat for any vehicle.
7 Kia Optima
The Optima is an excellent choice for drivers of all ages, especially teenagers. For starters, a high-quality interior means that they can drive their friends around in pure comfort, while a user-friendly infotainment system allows them to flip through their favorite tracks while keeping their eyes on the road.
The Optima is also safe and reliable, having been named a 2020 Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS. The base Optima comes well-equipped with safety features like lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. However, the EX trim level is what parents need as it comes with the Kia UVO system that allows them to monitor speed, location, and other driving metrics via a smartphone app.
6 Toyota Corolla
The Corolla is worth considering for a teen driver, as it has excellent gas mileage and a wide range of safety technologies. It also has a great predicted reliability rating, which means fewer headaches and budget stress arising from unexpected repairs.
To prevent accidents, the Corolla has numerous standard safety features, such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, and lane departure warning. But, if an accident does happen, the Corolla has proven to be safe after earning a five-star rating in the NHTSA's crash tests.
5 Chevrolet Malibu
The Chevrolet Malibu has been a solid seller for GM over the years. Part of its appeal is its affordability compared to other midsize sedans and its superior safety ratings. The latest Malibu has the same great features that Americans loved about its predecessors, including a roomy cabin, confident handling, and an easy-to-use infotainment system.
The Malibu also features a robust menu of standard and optional driver assistance technologies such as forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, self-parking aids, and rear cross-traffic alert, to name a few.
4 Subaru Crosstrek
The latest Subaru Crosstrek is a compact crossover that makes an excellent car for teenagers, especially the more adventurous ones. Despite its size and rugged appearance, the Crosstrek has excellent driving dynamics that make drivers feel like they're driving an Impreza as opposed to an off-roader.
With its all-wheel-drive system and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, this car can handle challenging terrains, making it perfect for teens who enjoy taking the occasional off-road trip. Like other Subaru cars, the Crosstrek is top-rated for safety and comes standard with forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and other safety technologies. Parents also benefit from Subaru's Eyesight suite that gives them an insight into their child's driving habits.
3 Ford Escape
The Ford Escape is a perfect choice for new drivers as it is safe, practical, and affordable. It has an excellent predicted reliability rating, which means it can take a beating without requiring expensive trips to the mechanic. Teen drivers will also love the Escape's poised handling, comfortable ride, spacious seating, and user-friendly SYNC 3 infotainment system.
The Escape takes safety to a whole new level, as it comes standard with blind spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and forward-collision warning. Another cool feature that parents love in the Escape is Ford's MyKey technology, which lets parents set audio volume and speed limits when their teen is driving.
2 Volvo XC90
Volvo has a long-standing reputation for building the safest cars money can buy. The XC90 is a modern embodiment of Volvo's pursuit of safety, earning full marks in every safety-related category. Some of the standard safety features in the XC90 include daytime running lights, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and blind spot detection.
Parents will also love the XC90's Intelligent Driver Information System that helps teen drivers avoid distraction. Apart from safety, the Volvo XC90 is sure to impress with its luxurious and comfortable cabin.
1 Mazda CX-3
The CX-3 is a subcompact SUV that drives just as good as it looks. Being the smallest SUV in Mazda's lineup, the CX-3 is fun and easy to drive for teenagers, even on winding roads. It is also extremely fuel-efficient, which means teens can get more miles for every gallon of gas than in most other subcompact SUVs.
Another key characteristic of the CX-3 is its safety ratings. It comes with Mazda's i-Actisense suite, which includes automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitoring, and more.