These are the safest and most reliable used cars for teens under $15,000
Tim Levin
- 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.
Mazda 3: $7,000
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2014 or later, which were built after October 2013.
Subaru Impreza: $8,700
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2014 or later.
Hyundai Elantra GT: $14,000
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2018 or later.
Kia Forte: $14,600
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2019 or later.
Subaru Legacy: $7,600
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2013 or later, which were built after August 2012.
Subaru Outback: $8,500
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2013 or later, which were built after August 2012.
Honda Accord: $9,200
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2013 or later.
Volkswagen Jetta: $9,800
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2016 to 2018.
Mazda 6: $10,500
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2015 or later.
Volkswagen Passat: $11,000
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2016 to 2018.
Toyota Prius V: $12,600
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2015 to 2017.
Lincoln MKZ: $13,300
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2016 or later.
Mazda CX-5: $8,200
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2014 or later, which were built after October 2013.
Buick Encore: $10,700
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2016 or later.
Chevrolet Equinox: $12,100
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2016 or later.
Honda CR-V: $12,200
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2015 to 2016, and those from 2019 onward.
Mazda CX-3: $12,300
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2017 or later.
Subaru Forester: $12,500
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2016 or later.
Nissan Rogue: $13,400
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2017 or later.
Toyota RAV4: $13,800
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2015 or later, which were built after November 2014.
Honda HR-V: $14,000
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2017 to 2018, which were built after March 2017.
Hyundai Kona: $14,500
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2018 or later.
GMC Terrain: $9,400
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2014, as well as those from 2016 or later.
Kia Sorento: $13,400
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2016 or later.
Nissan Murano: $13,800
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2015 or later.
Toyota Sienna: $11,900
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2015 or later.
Honda Odyssey: $12,400
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2015 to 2016.
Kia Sedona: $12,600
The IIHS and Consumer Reports recommend models from 2016 to 2017.
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