Safety and reliability should be top considerations when purchasing a car for a teenager.  After all, teens are new drivers and lack experience.  To determine which cars are safe, you should look at results from crash tests and advanced safety features.  Also, make sure the car comes with a sufficient auto warranty, because teens tend to put more wear and tear on a vehicle.

Typically, vehicles that are big and heavy rate the best in crash tests.  However, large vehicles are much harder to maneuver and tend to be gas-guzzlers.  Also keep in mind that SUVs and large pickups aren’t wise choices for teens because they have a higher roll over rate in accidents.

A mid-size sedan with good safety features and crash ratings is an overall wise choice for teens.  Vehicles with these features include the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Hyundai Sonata, Acura RSX, Mazda 3 and Subaru Impreza.

When purchasing a vehicle for a teenager, try to get the newest possible model that offers reliability.  To see crash test results; consult the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  Also, make sure you have an auto warranty so you don’t have to pay unnecessary repair expenses down the road.