Mazda appears across nearly every category on the latest recommendations list. Used EV depreciation created several unexpectedly affordable safety picks. Forty-five used vehicles under $10,000 made the cut, including some fun ones. Buying a teenager their first car used to mean handing over an old family hand-me-down or searching Craigslist for something cheap and hopefully reliable. Increasingly, though, parents are trying to thread a tougher needle that includes finding something affordable, safe, easy to drive, and not powerful enough to tempt a new driver into becoming the next viral highway video. That balancing act is exactly what the latest annual recommendations from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Consumer Reports aim to solve. Their updated 2026 list highlights used and new vehicles suitable for teen drivers, and there are some surprising themes hiding beneath the rankings. Read: IIHS Blames Car Ads For Speeding, Ignores The Bigger Safety Problem IIHS and CR identified 45 used vehicles under $10,000 that meet their safety requirements. Another 29 used models with stronger safety credentials, including higher-rated headlights and automatic emergency braking systems with pedestrian detection, can be found for under $20,000. The organizations say the goal isn’t simply affordability. “We curate this annual list specifically for teens because driving holds extra risk for them,” said IIHS Senior Research Scientist Rebecca Weast. “That said, the suggestions are suitable for drivers of any age looking to balance affordability with crash protection and crash avoidance.” But once you dig into the recommendations, one brand starts showing up over and over again: Mazda. Credit: Stephen Rivers for Carscoops The Japanese automaker appears repeatedly across multiple segments, with the Mazda3, CX-3, CX-5, CX-9, CX-30, CX-50, CX-70, and CX-90 all landing somewhere on the lists. That’s surprising given that plenty of shoppers instinctively associate Toyota and Honda with safety, but neither comes close in these findings. The Caveats Notably, the IIHS refrained from adding a few specific categories of cars to the list. Specifically, you won’t find small cars with low crash protection, sports cars, cars with a lot of horsepower, or large trucks or SUVs. That last one might sound like a safe box for a kid, but the IIHS rightly points out that they’re worse at handling, harder to maneuver in tight spaces, more dangerous for everyone else on the road, and take longer to stop due to their size and weight. The institute goes as far as to recommend avoiding them for teens. Used EV pricing might also be one of the biggest stories here. Vehicles like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Audi Q4 e-tron, and Subaru Solterra all appear on the list with prices hovering around the high teens. Not long ago, many of these vehicles stickered tens of thousands higher. In a market where depreciation on electric vehicles has accelerated rapidly, shoppers suddenly have access to newer tech and stronger safety credentials at unexpectedly low prices. Zoom out, and this year’s list says something larger about today’s market. The traditional “safe bet” brands aren’t necessarily dominating, EV depreciation is creating unusual value opportunities, and one automaker, Mazda, quietly appears to be winning a safety battle most people probably didn’t realize was happening. BEST CHOICES — USED VEHICLES Small Cars ModelModel YearsPriceMazda 3hatchback: 2019-25; sedan: 2020-25$13,200Subaru Crosstrek Plug-in Hybrid2019-23$13,600 SWIPE Midsize Cars ModelModel YearsPriceNissan Maxima2020-23$15,200Subaru Legacy2020-25$16,500Nissan Altima2021-24$17,000Toyota Camry2019-25; including hybrid$17,300Kia K52021-24; built after November 2020$17,500Subaru Outback2020-25; built after October 2019$18,700Hyundai Ioniq 62023-25$19,400 SWIPE Large Cars ModelModel YearsPriceGenesis G802019-20$19,700 SWIPE Small SUVs ModelModel YearsPriceMazda CX-52018-25; built after March 2018$13,100Mazda CX-32020-21$13,600Mazda CX-302021-25; built after September 2020$15,900Subaru Forester2019-25$15,900Chevrolet Trailblazer2021-23$16,700Hyundai Ioniq 52022-24$16,700Nissan Rogue2021-23$17,200Subaru Solterra2023-25$17,700Audi Q4 e-tron2022-25$18,100Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron2022-24$18,100Ford Bronco Sport2021-25$18,100Volkswagen Tiguan2022-24$18,200Kia EV62022-24; built after August 2022$18,700Hyundai Tucson2022-25; including hybrid$19,100 SWIPE Midsize SUVs ModelModel YearsPriceMazda CX-92020-23; built after December 2019$16,200Nissan Murano2021-25$18,000Ford Explorer2020-24$18,400Mitsubishi Outlander2022-25; built after June 2021$18,700Acura RDX2019-25$19,600 SWIPE GOOD CHOICES — USED VEHICLES Small Cars ModelModel YearsPriceMini Countryman2012-24$4,600Nissan Sentra2015-25$4,700Chevrolet Sonic2015-19; built after February 2015$5,300Kia Soul2015-25$5,300Hyundai Elantra2017-25$6,100Mazda 3 hatchback or sedan2014-18; built after October 2013$6,900Hyundai Elantra GT2018-20$8,000Subaru Impreza sedan or wagon2014-25$8,000Honda Civic coupe or sedan2014-25$8,100Kia Forte2019-24$8,900Subaru Crosstrek2016-25$9,000 SWIPE Midsize Cars ModelModel YearsPriceChevrolet Malibu2014-25$5,800Volvo S602012-25$6,700Hyundai Sonata2016-25; built after October 2015; including 2017-25 hybrid$6,900Nissan Altima2016-20$6,900Subaru Legacy2015-19$7,700Acura TL2012-14; built after April 2012$8,200Honda Accord sedan2013-25; including 2014-25 hybrid$8,300Mazda 62016-18$8,400Ford Fusion2017-20$9,000Alfa Romeo Giulia2017-25; built after May 2017$9,100Audi A32015-25$9,100Nissan Maxima2016-19$9,300Lincoln MKZ2017-20$9,500Audi A62016-19; built after January 2015$9,900 SWIPE Large Cars ModelModel YearsPriceVolvo S802012-15$5,600Acura RLX2014-20$9,700 SWIPE Small SUVs ModelModel YearsPriceChevrolet Equinox2014-24$5,700Fiat 500X2016-18; built after July 2015$5,700Nissan Rogue2014-20$5,900Hyundai Tucson2016-21$7,100Audi Q32015-25$7,200Jeep Compass2017-22; built after December 2016$7,600Kia Niro Hybrid2017-22$7,800Mazda CX-52014-17; built after October 2013$8,400BMW X12016-25$8,600Kia Sportage2017-25$8,600Mazda CX-32016-19$9,000Nissan Rogue Sport2017$9,100 SWIPE Midsize SUVs ModelModel YearsPriceVolvo XC902013-24$6,000GMC Terrain2014-20$6,400Volvo XC602013-21$6,400Nissan Murano2015-20$8,100Kia Sorento2016-18$8,200Audi Q52015-25; built after January 2015$9,800 SWIPE Source: IIHS, Lead image IIHS / YouTube
