Consumer Reports Ranks the Safest Used Cars Under $10,000 for Teen Drivers

The parents of our student drivers often ask the staff members at our Las vegas driving school about the safest cars for teen drivers. As luck would have it, Consumer Reports recently ranked the top 10 safest cars for teens. Better yet, the rankings are only for vehicles that are under $10,000. Both Volkswagen and Ford made the list twice. Volkswagen with the Jetta and Golf and Ford with the Focus and Fusion.

Consumer Reports lists one of the most important safety features as “electronic stability control” or ESC. ESC has been statistically proven to be the most important piece of safety equipment since the seatbelt was invented. The purpose of ESC is to keep the vehicle on the road during emergency situations, which helps prevent rollover accidents.

Another important safety feature that Consumer Reports recommends is side and curtain airbags. These have shown to keep vehicle occupants inside the vehicle during automobile accidents.

And finally, the size of the vehicle was an important factor by Consumer Reports. While many parents seek “big” vehicles for their new teen drivers, these typically result in far more parking lot dings and scratches. Also, mid size sedans were recommended over SUVs due to the lower center of gravity, better stability and reduced chance of rollover.

Here’s the rest of the Consumer Reports article