The Safest Cars for Teens in 2025

A responsible parent is likely to put safety as the top priority when buying their teenager's first car. You may prefer that your child drive a new car since they typically include updated and improved safety features, leaving your teen less likely to get stuck on the road due to a mechanical malfunction. Unfortunately, with the higher price tag that goes along with a new car, higher insurance rates may also be part of the equation.

Therefore, it's important to choose a new car for your teen that's reasonably priced but has a high safety rating, as calculated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). You'll also want to ensure their vehicle is equipped with the right car insurance before they hit the road, and local independent insurance agents are ready to help you get the coverage your teen needs. First, use our guide to this year's safest cars for teens to find the ideal vehicle.

Understanding Vehicle Safety Ratings

When shopping for a safe vehicle for your teen, it's helpful to understand some of the top authorities in official safety ratings. These are sources you can trust to provide accurate, updated data about a vehicle's safety test results and any concerns to be aware of.

IIHS Safety Ratings

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety is a nonprofit group dedicated to facilitating the reduction of deaths, injuries, and property damage in traffic collisions. Every year, the IIHS conducts rigorous safety tests on currently available new vehicles and publishes the results on its website. 

These tests assess how the vehicle holds up and protects passengers against several types of injuries in collisions that impact:

• Small overlap front
• Moderate overlap front
• Side
• Roof strength
• Head restraints and seats

Vehicles that earn good ratings in all five categories earn a Top Safety Pick designation. You can use IIHS's official safety ratings to help determine which vehicle is best for your teen driver. 

NHTSA Safety Ratings

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is a government agency that belongs to the Department of Transportation. Its purpose is to reduce injuries, deaths, and economic losses due to vehicular collisions. 

The NHTSA conducts extensive crash and rollover testing to determine a vehicle's safety and provides ratings of up to five stars. NHTSA ratings are another great resource when selecting a safe vehicle for your teenager. 

8 Safest Cars for Teens in 2025

We based our list of the top eight picks for teen drivers on several factors, including the most recent safety ratings by the IIHS and NHTSA, price, gas mileage, and the presence of vehicle safety features. Safety considerations were given the most weight. Consider one of the following popular vehicles when shopping for a new car for your teen driver.

1. Honda Civic

Honda Civics continue to top the list year after year of not only the best cars for teenage drivers, but also the safest, and for good reason. The IIHS dubs the Civic a Top Safety Pick+ for the 2022 and 2025 models and Top Safety Pick for 2021, 2023, and 2024 model years. 

Honda Civics rank highly due to their impressive fuel economy, great handling, and multiple standard advanced safety features, such as optional blind spot detection and lane departure warning and prevention. Teens may also enjoy that Civics come as hatchbacks or sedans.

IIHS Safety Rating:
Top Safety Pick+ (2022 and 2025 models)
Top Safety Pick (2021, 2023, and 2024 models)

NHTSA Safety Rating:
5 Stars

IIHS Recommended Model Years:
2021 or newer

2. Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry is another long-recurring mention on safety lists and best cars for young drivers lists. A new or used Camry can be a great option for your teen, as the IIHS recommends all model years 2018 or newer. 

Many of these years, including the new 2025 model, earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating. The Toyota Camry is known for its spacious interior and cargo space and for coming standard with multiple advanced safety features. 

IIHS Safety Rating
Top Safety Pick + (2018-2023 and 2025 models)
Top Safety Pick (2024 models)

NHTSA Safety Rating
5 Stars

IIHS Recommended Model Years
2018 or newer

3. Mazda CX-5

If your teenager has been dreaming of driving an SUV, you're in luck. The Mazda CX-5 features a sporty and sleek look that's sure to appeal to your teen driver. 

It's also known for its IIHS Top Safety Pick+ ratings for 2021 and 2022 models and Top Safety Pick rating for 2023 models. Considered a small SUV, the CX-5 comes standard with multiple advanced safety features and a turbocharged engine. 

IIHS Safety Rating
Top Safety Pick+ (2021 and 2022 models)
Top Safety Pick (2023 models)

NHTSA Safety Rating
5 Stars

IIHS Recommended Model Years
2021-2023

4. Honda Accord

It probably comes as no surprise that Honda makes our list more than once. The brand offers multiple superb choices for teen drivers, making a visit to a local Honda dealership a good start for parents primarily concerned with safety and affordability. 

Parents seeking an affordable used vehicle are especially in luck because IIHS recommends the 2020 model above all others when it comes to safety. The mid-sized sedan offers a spacious interior, a powerful engine, and a hefty amount of standard advanced safety features. Teens also often report it's one of the more fun sedans to drive.

IIHS Safety Rating
Top Safety Pick

NHTSA Safety Rating
5 Stars

IIHS Recommended Model Year
2020

5. Toyota Prius

The Toyota dealership is another great stop for parents of teenage drivers, as the brand is the second to make our list more than once. The Toyota Prius is an excellent option for teen drivers who won't complain about not having a flashy car to show off to their friends. Instead, the Prius is focused on safety and efficiency, which is apparent when considering that the IIHS recommends all model years from 2017 to 2024, with Top Safety Pick+ ratings for 2017, 2023, and 2024 models. 

Unfortunately, the 2025 model has yet to be rated. Prius is known for fuel efficiency and comes standard with multiple advanced safety features. The IIHS recommends the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid models.

IIHS Safety Rating
Top Safety Pick+ (2017, 2023, and 2024 models)
Top Safety Pick (2018, 2019, and 2020 models)
No award (2021 and 2022 models)

NHTSA Safety Rating
5 Stars

IIHS Recommended Model Years
2017-2024

6. Subaru Forester

Subaru finally makes our list past the halfway point with the Forester. While the 2025 model is not yet rated, the IIHS recommends all model years from 2021 to 2024. 

The Forester offers another appealing SUV body design for some teens and comes standard with all-wheel drive, making it an ideal choice for those who like off-roading. It also excels in cold and wet climates, especially considering it comes standard with multiple advanced safety features.




IIHS Safety Rating:
Top Safety Pick+ (2021 and 2022 models)
Top Safety Pick (2023 and 2024 models)

NHTSA Safety Rating:
5 Stars

IIHS Recommended Model Years:
2021-2024

7. Honda CR-V

Honda's third appearance on our list is for the popular CR-V model, an SUV that comes with an efficient engine, a roomy interior, generous cargo space, and multiple standard advanced safety features. The CR-V also offers a smooth ride, which isn't surprising given that the IIHS recommends all model years from 2020 to 2024. 

The 2023 model, in particular, has earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating. While we expect the 2025 to also be recommended, it's not currently rated by the IIHS. 




IIHS Safety Rating:
Top Safety Pick+ (2023 models)
Top Safety Pick (2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024 models)

NHTSA Safety Rating:
5 Stars

IIHS Recommended Model Years:
2020-2024

8. Toyota Highlander

Rounding out our list is Toyota's third entry, the Highlander. The mid-size SUV offers plenty of space for teens to transport family members or take road trips with friends. As a bonus, the SUV's third row can be collapsed to create more cargo space when it's not used for passengers. 

The IIHS gives parents many options with its recommendation of all model years between 2017 and 2024, with four of these earning Top Safety Pick+ awards. The 2025 model is currently unrated. The Highlander also comes standard with a long list of advanced safety features to keep teen parents at ease.




IIHS Safety Rating:
Top Safety Pick+ (2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023 models)
Top Safety Pick (2018, 2019, 2020, and 2024 models)

NHTSA Safety Rating:
5 Stars

IIHS Recommended Model Years:
2017-2024

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Check out the Full List of IIHS Top-Pick Cars

There are a number of other vehicles that received excellent safety ratings from the IIHS that did not make our list, but are also worth looking into. We encourage you to consider any of the IIHS highly rated vehicles for your teenager. You can check out the IIHS's official website for more options.

Don't Forget the Car Insurance

Choosing a vehicle with high safety ratings is the first step toward ensuring a reasonable rate for auto insurance. Teens can be expensive to insure, so knowing how to score discounts and other savings is essential. An independent insurance agent can help you compare multiple quotes from trusted carriers and help you find car insurance discounts for your teen driver.