2024 Best Cars for Teens

If there’s a new driver or new graduate in your family who needs to drive something other than the family car, consider these safe and affordable 2024 models on your back-to-school shopping list..

The annual Best Cars for Teens list features dependable, reliable models with crash prevention and safety features that include parental speed control settings.

Those are the top considerations when buying or leasing a new or used car for a teen with minimum experience behind the wheel, and the top factors to get a vehicle onto the annual US News Best Cars for Teens list.

I would also add value for the money – since six of the top eight best cars for teens are under $35,000, and the top two are under $25,000.  They are a combination of sedans and small SUVs.

Hyundai has the most vehicles on the list – almost half of which are fuel efficient hybrids, which should appeal environmentally and financially conscious teens – and their parents.

Not a single American manufacturer is on the list – although many of the foreign-brand models on the list are built in US factories by US workers.

This year’s list also includes best recent used models for teens, some of which were on previous Best Cars for Teens lists as new models.

Also, look at 2023 Best Cars for Teens for last year’s new models, some of which may now be available as used.

2024 Best New Cars for Teens: Safety Features

All 2024 Best New Cars for Teens include safety features such as forward collision and lane-departure warnings, forward automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist.

Select winners are also equipped with teen driver controls or available smartphone apps that send alerts when the car exceeds a set speed or is driven after designated curfews or outside of specified geographic areas.

These features enable parents and guardians to set limits for teen drivers while simultaneously guiding them toward responsible and mindful driving habits.

2024 Best New Cars for Teens

Best Used Cars for Teens

Each Best New Cars for Teens winner has the best combination of predicted reliability ratings, crash test scores, available advanced driver-assistance features and top critics’ recommendations in its price category.

• Read more about ranking methodology here.

To be named a Best Used Car for Teens, a vehicle must be from the 2019 through 2021 model years and have the best combination of dependability and safety ratings, projected ownership costs, positive reviews from critics and available crash-prevention tech in its category.

• Read more about ranking methodology here.

Full disclosure – ecoxplorer Evelyn Kanter wrote automotive news for U. S. News.  Here a link to what remains on the U.S. News website. 

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is a multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate, Careers and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter currently serves as President of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA).

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter also is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA).

Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.

Copyright (C) Evelyn Kanter