Take my advice and dont be like me and get a ton of GM and Ford products. Get a lexus or toyota there are plenty of models that are sporty if that is your preference, large if you like alot of space the 2 companys have everything from sports sedans to trucks. there pretty much all solid build, reliable, and reasonably priced. when I was 17 I bought a 1997 corvette and the electrical issues and cheap plastic drives me nuts and dont even get me started on the suspension issues. Please I beg you get a Toyota or Lexus vehicle you wont regret it. Answer from LS1Hoon54 on carkiller.com
Lithia Motors
lithia.com › research › used-cars › best-cars-to-buy-for-teens-under-15k.htm
Best Cars to Buy for Teens Under 15k | Lithia Motors
May 16, 2023 - In putting together this list of some of the best cars you can buy today for your teen, we set a limit of $15,000. We looked at vehicles that received high ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) regarding crash test ratings. All the cars on this list include an arsenal of safety features.
IIHS
iihs.org › ratings › safe-vehicles-for-teens
Safe vehicles for teens
Our recommendations include two tiers of used vehicles, Best Choices and more affordable Good Choices. Starting prices for recommended used models range from under $5,000 to nearly $20,000. A separate list of new vehicles for teens offers an even higher level of safety.
Videos
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Best Cars For New Drivers & Teenagers That Are Reliable & Affordable ...
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BEST Cars Under $10,000 (in 2025!) - YouTube
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My Top Picks for Solid Small Cars Under 10K USD To Drive Your Bike ...
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The 7 Best American Cars Under $10k for Reliable Daily Drivers! ...
The Zebra
thezebra.com › the zebra › resource center › driving › best cars for teens: 15 vehicles under $20k with top safety ratings
Best cars for teens: 15 vehicles under $20K with top safety ratings
April 24, 2024 - Skip below to the infographic for a quick review of the best cars for teens under $20,000, $15,000 and $10,000, plus some safety tips for teen drivers.
Kelley Blue Book
kbb.com › home › best cars › best cars for teens: the list every parent needs
Best Cars for Teens: The List Every Parent Needs - Kelley Blue Book
October 20, 2025 - By using this service, you accept the terms of your Visitor Agreement ... Your email has been sent. ... A few sporty yet reasonable cars for teenagers are the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and the Honda Civic.
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Take my advice and dont be like me and get a ton of GM and Ford products. Get a lexus or toyota there are plenty of models that are sporty if that is your preference, large if you like alot of space the 2 companys have everything from sports sedans to trucks. there pretty much all solid build, reliable, and reasonably priced. when I was 17 I bought a 1997 corvette and the electrical issues and cheap plastic drives me nuts and dont even get me started on the suspension issues. Please I beg you get a Toyota or Lexus vehicle you wont regret it.
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Nah, all of the above said cars are lame and not fun, get a lexus is250 or is350 (350 is more powerful and has the same reliability but way more fun to drive), beautiful inside and out and runs like a swiss watch!
TrueCar
truecar.com › home › best used cars for teens under $15,000
Best Used Cars for Teens Under $15,000 - TrueCar Blog
October 4, 2024 - The small sedan has been a perennial favorite of commuters, teens, families, and just about everyone else for decades. The Civic is a great small car. It has a well-earned reputation for quality engineering, reliability, fuel efficiency, and practicality. It’s also one of the sportiest cars in its class.
Reddit
reddit.com › r › whatcarshouldIbuy › comments › 178hpuc › fun_but_practical_first_car_for_a_17_year_old
Fun but practical first car for a 17 year old under 15k?
March 9, 2023 - I was looking at a corolla or civic ex but they just seem so boring in comparison to the si, but I guess that's my fault for getting tunnel-visioned on a car I might not be able to afford. ... Create your account and connect with a world of communities. ... By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy.
Consumer Reports
consumerreports.org › cars › best used cars under $20,000 for teens
Best Used Cars Under $20,000 for Teens via @ConsumerReports
September 8, 2025 - If you can afford a new car for a teen driver, we have a separate list for that. Despite elevated car prices, we limited our budget to $20,000, though there are also many good choices for even less. Our updated list includes more than 70 vehicles priced under $10,000.
Business Insider
businessinsider.com › business insider › transportation › these are the safest and most reliable used cars for teens under $15,000
These Are the Safest, Most Reliable Used Cars for Teens Under $15,000 - Business Insider
August 2, 2020 - We've sifted through the list and pulled out the highest-rated cars under $15,000.
Lemonade
lemonade.com › lemonade insurance › car insurance › understanding car insurance › 15 best used cars for teens for under 5k
15 Best Used Cars for Teens for Under 5k - Lemonade
August 6, 2025 - Looking for a reliable first car for your teen without breaking the bank? Check out our list of 15 safe and affordable used cars under $5000.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/whatcarshouldibuy › best used car for teen under 10k
r/whatcarshouldIbuy on Reddit: Best used car for teen under 10k
February 18, 2024 -
Our daughter is turning 16 and we are trying to shop for a used vehicle for her under 10k and around 100k miles. She’s very tall so maybe a midsize suv would be better? Any recommendations for or against would be great.
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I have two friends who are over 6 foot that have no issues with their compact sedans (2022 Corolla and 2019 Impreza). Under 10k, I’d stray away from any Subarus because the majority of what you’ll find at that price will only be issues. If you’re interested in trying out sedans just to see how she fits, I’d look at the Honda Civic/Accord and Toyota Corolla/Camry. There’s a lot of good info on what model years to look for online. If she doesn’t end up liking it or just generally leans more towards SUV/Crossover, look at the Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4 or the Mazda CX5. Could also look at a Toyota Venza. Edit: Forgot to mention, check out the Honda Fit as well as the Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe
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1st gen honda crv. I've had 2 and will buy a 3rd lol
U.S. News
cars.usnews.com › car advice
15 Best Used Cars Under $15,000 in 2026 | U.S. News
August 6, 2025 - Chevy offers it as a hatchback with more cargo room, though the fuel-efficient diesel engine is only found in sedan models. The standard infotainment system is simple to use, and the Cruze's good safety ratings include a Teen Driver function ...
iSeeCars
iseecars.com › best-used-cars-under-15k
Best Used Cars Under $15k for 2025 - iSeeCars.com
See the #1 best used cars, trucks, and SUVs under $15k based on iSeeCars' analysis of 12 million vehicles to assess reliability, resale value and safety.
iSeeCars
iseecars.com › best-cars-for-teens
Best Cars for Teens for 2025 - iSeeCars.com
Safety is a leading concern for the parents of young drivers, which makes finding a good first car for teenage drivers a primary goal during the car-buying process. iSeeCars has identified the best cars for teen drivers and listed them below. These cars are organized by vehicle category, then ranked according to their safety score.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/whatcarshouldibuy › best car for a teen for $20k or under?
r/whatcarshouldIbuy on Reddit: Best car for a teen for $20k or under?
March 27, 2023 -
My son saved $10k and his grandfather is matching what he saved for a car. I have no clue what I’m doing for car buying though. My son doesn’t seem to care what kind of car it is, as long as it gets him to school and back. My own desires for a car is safety, reliability, good on gas, safety, low maintenance, safety…. You get the picture. Insurance will likely be outrageous for a teen boy in NYC (Staten Island) no matter what but something that would be on the lower end of that would be nice too. Further, should we try dealers, or should I be looking at Craigslist/Facebook/eBay etc? Any tips on how to avoid scams there? Thanks!
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Used Toyota Camry or Corolla. Or Honda Accord or Civic. You and your son will be satisfied. Personally I would go Honda, but Toyota’s are great used cars, but a little less fun to drive.
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I bought my son a 3k 2010 manual focus with low miles. He will probably wreck it at some point. I can keep plpd insurance instead of full coverage. If something does break, he can learn how to maintain it and fix it. It is cheap for parts, and if it gets crashed I won't cry.
Cars.com
cars.com › home › news › latest news
What Are the Best New and Used Cars for Teens? | Cars.com
May 25, 2022 - To help shoppers of all ages choose a budget-friendly, dependable and safe vehicle, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Consumer Reports have partnered to identify the best new and used cars for teens in their annual report. ... Due to inventory constraints, the list of recommended used vehicles shrinks from 61 models in 2021 to 49 models for 2022, and the list of new vehicles includes 21 models, down from 29 in 2021. In addition to good IIHS safety ratings, the recommended vehicles are those that discourage dangerous driving behavior and avoid unnecessary risks: Sports cars, small cars with a curb weight under 2,750 pounds and very large vehicles with long braking distances are excluded.
Cars.com
cars.com › home › news › latest news
What Are the Best Used Cars for $15,000? | Cars.com
We collected a variety of used vehicles that can meet different needs and tastes — be it a car, truck, SUV or minivan — for a $15,000 budget.
Published March 31, 2025
AutoNation USA
autonationusa.com › home › used car guides › top 10 cars for teen drivers
Top 10 Cars For Teen Drivers | AutoNation USA
It's one of the best used cars for teens who want a small SUV with lots of character. ... The Kia Forte offers excellent value, coming well-equipped even in base trims. It includes automatic emergency braking, driver attention warning, and lane-keeping assist - making it one of the safest cars for teens under ...
Car and Driver
caranddriver.com › rankings › best-cars-for-teens
Best First Cars for Teens and New Drivers in 2026, Tested
... C/D SAYS: Available in sedan or hatchback form, with or without a hybrid powertrain, the 2026 Honda Civic caters to just about everyone. Learn More ... C/D SAYS: The BRZ keeps the affordable in "affordable sports car," with a still-reasonable ...
Car and Driver
caranddriver.com › home › essential reads: stories and features › best used cars under $10,000 for teen drivers
Best Used Cars Under $10,000 for Teen Drivers
August 14, 2021 - IIHS and NHTSA data show that these 13 hatchbacks, sedans, and SUVs are the safest and most reliable for teens and other first-time drivers.