Toyota's Prius, Prius V and Prius Prime hybrids make the list of new and used cars deemed safe for ... [+] teen drivers.
For freshly licensed drivers, a safe ride is more than reassuring. But safety can come at a cost, with affordability taking a hit for the latest safety features and technology—especially for a fuel-efficient vehicle.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and consumer advice publication Consumer Reports (CR) updated its annual safe cars list for teens with 58 used options running between $5,800 and $19,900. The 2024 list, released early Wednesday, also offers 22 options for new cars up to $40,000 designated as IIHS’ Top Safety Picks or Top Safety Picks+. Out of the 70 recommendations, five are electrified (all-electric, hybrid or plug-in).
The only all-electric pick is the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 (for the base single-motor version) as a recommended safe new car choice. It starts at $37,700 and comes with automatic emergency braking. The new electric Hyundai received an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award.
Rebecca Weast, a research scientist at IIHS, is well aware that the Ioniq 6 is the only pure EV on the list. It made the list despite worries about most EVs that typically “have access to all the horsepower really quickly because of the mechanics of the vehicle,” she said in a phone call. For this reason, the dual-motor version is excluded: “It accelerates faster than we want and it’s more expensive.” The base Ioniq 6 is already one of the most expensive options on the list.
EVs tend to be “zippier” and more expensive than more sensible sedans and small crossovers. But for a family buying a new vehicle, it’s smart to think about safety now and in the future. For families with younger kids, today’s new car could be the eventual hand-me-down to a teen with a driver’s license.
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is the only EV recommended for teen drivers. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles ... [+] Times via Getty Images)
The redesigned 2024 Toyota Prius hybrid and plug-in Prius Prime were other electrified options for a new safe vehicle purchase.
For the list, IIHS and CR excluded sports cars and cars with “excessive” horsepower relative to car weight. Large SUVs and big pickup trucks along with minicars under 2,750 pounds were also excluded. “We don’t want kids in either extreme,” Weast said. The only pickup to make the list is the compact 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz.
On the used side, IIHS and CR split up recommendations into “Best Choices” and “Good Choices” based on prices, all under $20,000. All used cars on the list pass CR’s reliability, handling and braking distance tests along with IIHS’ good ratings for crashworthiness and a four- or five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Weast noted teens are disproportionately involved in single-vehicle crashes, especially in the first six months after receiving a license. So while price and availability heavily factor into a teen’s ride options, vehicles that can protect the young driver and others on the road are also important to consider.
Four hybrids (traditional and plug-in) made it onto both used lists starting as low as $7,100:
While this list is focused on teens and new drivers, Weast reminded car buyers, “This is just a good list for good safe cars for anyone.”
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