These are the safest and most reliable used cars for teens under $15,000

Mazda CX-5.Mazda

• Consumer Reports and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have published a list of the best used cars for teens, with all offering a combination of reliability, safety, and affordability.
• The vehicles all earned high crash-test ratings and are more dependable than the average car.
• All the cars Consumer Reports and the IIHS chose can be had for less than half the price of the average new car.
• Cars that were too light or too heavy were excluded, as were high-powered sports cars.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Consumer Reports have jointly released a list of the best used cars for teens that, the companies say, offer the ideal blend of price point, safety features, and long-term reliability.

As far as safety is concerned, all of the top choices earned good crash-test ratings from the IIHS or National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, have above-average emergency-handling scores from Consumer Reports, and come equipped with standard electronic stability control.

Small cars tend to fare worse in traffic incidents, while very large cars can be unwieldy and harder to stop, so the list doesn't include any vehicles under 2,750 pounds or any very large SUVs. The list also counts out any high-powered vehicles or sports cars, since they could lead to more reckless driving.

The top picks also earned higher-than-average reliability ratings according to Consumer Reports surveys, and can be had for less than $20,000. Prices listed refer to the average Kelley Blue Book value, as of July 1, for the earliest recommended model year and the base trim level.

We've sifted through the list and pulled out the highest-rated cars under $15,000. You can see which models those are below.