INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Finding the right car for a teen driver can feel like walking a tightrope—trying to balance safety, reliability, and affordability all at once. But a new report from Consumer Reports, in partnership with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, is giving families a clearer roadmap.

Jen Stockburger, director of operations at the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center, joined Daybreak to break down the list of safest new and used vehicles for young drivers.

“This list is a combination of performance tests that we do at Consumer Reports like braking and handling, combined with those cars that offer really good crash protection from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,” Stockburger said.

More than 100 vehicles made the cut, including some well-known names.

Look for most model years

“For me, the ones that stick out are the ones that provide the most model years—those like the Honda Civic, the Subaru Forester, even some luxury models like the BMW X2 or the Explorer,” she said.

Stockburger says the more model years a car has, the more affordable it tends to be, making it easier to get a safe car that fits the budget.

Pay attention to safety features

For parents shopping with safety in mind, she suggests paying close attention to crash avoidance technology.

“Buy as much safety as you can afford,” she said. “Look for things like standard automatic emergency braking. Those are on all the vehicles in our best list, but not necessarily on the good list.”

Stockburger also recommends checking the vehicle sticker or asking the seller to confirm if those features are included.

When it comes to new vehicles, she says buyers are getting even more peace of mind.

“The new list is all of the cars that are the current Insurance Institute top safety picks or top safety pick pluses,” she said. “That means they are really the upper echelon in terms of crash protection.”

She points to additional features like blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert, which can be especially helpful for new drivers.

“Use as much safety as you can afford, even if it means getting a slightly more affordable car to get those options on it,” Stockburger said.

As more new vehicles add sensors and alert systems, Stockburger says Consumer Reports only awards safety points if the features come standard across all trims.

“We don’t want you to have to buy the highest trim or the most loaded vehicle in a model to get the safety feature,” she said.

Leaning toward used car? Research is key

For families leaning toward a used car, Stockburger says research is key, especially since the average new car price now hovers around $47,000.

“When you’re shopping either from a private party or a dealership, one of the great advantages of a dealership is that you can get what they call a certified pre-owned car,” she said.

Consumer Reports also offers reliability data for members to help identify used cars that not only made the safety list but have a strong track record.

“Regardless of what car you’re choosing, if you have the opportunity, take it to a mechanic or get a mechanic to come look at the car with you to make sure it’s in good running condition,” Stockburger said.

With graduation season underway, it’s the perfect time to have conversations about safety, value, and making the best investment for your teen.

For the full list of recommended new cars, click here. For the used car list, click here.

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