The most advanced safety features don’t come cheap, but you can find some incredible, safe, and budget-friendly cars for teens to drive and enjoy.
How much do you want to spend on a safe car? If you want some of the most advanced features included, you’ll need to spend about $25,000. Considering the average new car price is twice that, this price is relatively affordable. At this price, you can find some great options with the latest driver assist tech and high crash test scores. Here are seven great options for your teen to drive.
2022 Nissan Altima
This Nissan Altima is a sensible choice. As a midsize sedan, this car could take your teen through college and beyond. The 2022 model earned the Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS at every trim level. That means for only a little more than $25,000, you’ll have a safe sedan that’s also attractive and sporty. This is a win-win when dealing with teens and their desire to look good while they drive. If you don’t want to stick to the base S trim, the SV model has the Nissan Safety Shield 360 package.
2022 Nissan Sentra
Another great option is the smaller Nissan Sentra. This is a safe, budget-friendly car that teens can enjoy driving. The 2022 model is recently redesigned and brings the Top Safety Pick to the mix. The SR trim or the SR Premium package offers better headlights than the lower trims. All models of the newly designed Sentra include the Nissan Safety Shield 350 active safety suite features. This is an affordable option with the right safety package to keep your teen protected on the road.
2022 Kia K5
The Kia K5 is an impressive option with a gorgeous build and a sporty style. This car also earned the Top Safety Pick+ award, making it an easy choice for you. The K5 begins at $24,815, putting it right in your budget. You’ll find the right safety items starting at the base model, which includes automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights, lane centering, and driver attention warning. Move to the next trim, and you’ll find blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts, while higher trims add adaptive cruise control.
2022 Subaru Legacy
If you want to offer a safe, budget-friendly car that’s great for teens to drive, the Subaru Legacy is an excellent choice. This car includes the benefits of standard AWD and earned the Top Safety Pick+ rating. Subaru includes the Eyesight driver assist features as part of the standard packaging on every Legacy. You’ll enjoy the benefits of adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and automatic high beams in this car. Let your teen get in and enjoy the ride in the Legacy.
2022 Mazda CX-30
Yes, you can find an SUV that fits your budget and offers your teen driver the safety you want them to enjoy. This Mazda CX-30 replaces the old Mazda CX-3 offering more size and space in the cabin. The CX-30 earns the Top Safety Pick+ award and costs only $23,425. This small SUV brings a lot of impressive driver assist features to the mix, with adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and driver attention warning. These items are included on all trims to keep your teen safe and secure.
2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Another subcompact SUV that reaches the safe, budget-friendly level to be great for tends to drive is the Chevy Trailblazer. This SUV also earns the Top Safety Pick+ award and brings the desired features to the mix. The Trailblazer has automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, and rear parking sensors. Some of these features are optional but can be added to all trims. The base model of the Trailblazer starts at $22,995, giving you the affordable SUV you want your teen to drive.
2022 Mazda 3
The Mazda 3 comes in either a hatchback or sedan build, giving your teen a great vehicle that’s affordable for you. This car earned the Top Safety Pick+ and has a starting price of $21,815. Some of the safety items you’ll find include adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alerts on every trim. This little car is a lot of fun to drive while also being a safe vehicle for your teen.
Which of these will your teen drive?
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