Most people dream about what their first car will be, but the aspects that make those dreams are usually more about looks than anything. When you have a teen that’s ready to drive, your first ideas about a car that suits them are probably rooted in safety instead of racecar specs or the latest in infotainment. We all know that teens can be crazy drivers when they are blasting heavy metal music and not paying attention to the road.
Provided you won’t be sharing the family car, there are plenty of options on the market with top-of-the-line safety features guaranteed to keep your teen as secure as possible while they’re on the road. Check out these best of the best first car picks for teenagers.
Chevrolet Equinox
The Equinox comes standard with six advanced safety features including automatic braking and lane departure warnings. This two-row SUV also features Teen Driver Technology from General Motors that allows you to set volume limits, speed alerts, and track driving performance through the accompanying app.
There’s even a feature that prevents the streaming of music until the driver and passenger up front are buckled in. The Equinox is also very modern looking inside and out, the ride is quiet and comfortable, and the starting price is only $23,800.
GMC Terrain
Coming in at $28,400 is the GMC Terrain. You’ll get the same Teen Driving Technology from General motors, making it an ideal pick for keeping tabs on your teen. For GMC, the Pro Safety Plus package is now standard. That comes with safety tech like emergency automatic braking and blind spot monitoring.
While it is a little more expensive than the Equinox, your teen is bound to love the technology inside as well as the extra space to drive their friends around. This particular model from GMC comes with a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, if you need help convincing them.
Honda Civic
A classic first car for many, the Honda Civic is affordable, reliable, and comes with plenty of safety features. Honda’s sensing system comes with all trims of the Civic, giving your teen the onboard tech they need to stay safe no matter what traffic looks like.
Speed limits and nearby road signs are displayed on the dash, helping your teen stay aware. Lane change assist is a helpful way to ease new drivers into merging, while indicators on the side mirror help other drivers detect them before they make the switch.
Honda Insight
Honda is one of the safest brands on the market, routinely earning top safety rankings year after year. The Insight comes with the same Honda Sensing system features, but also includes an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on its hybrid components.
If your teen is money-conscious, this model is an easy sell. It gets 55mpg on the highway, saving them ample gas money. If they’re stuck on looks, there’s a stunning color option called radiant red metallic on the 2021 model that’s sure to please. The Civic and Insight start at $21,250 and $23,130 respectively.
A Good Lawyer
While these cars offer the best safety features at surprisingly affordable prices, accidents can still happen. In addition to teaching your teen how to drive safely, it never hurts to have legal aid like this Bay area car accident law firm handy. Like most things in life, as your teen will learn, it’s better to be prepared than sorry.