5 Affordable, Safe Cars for First-Time Drivers

Honda / Honda

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Teens aged 16 and 17 are more than five times as likely to get into an accident when driving than other age groups, which is a scary statistic from a parent’s point of view.

So when a teen is ready to start driving, finding the right car can feel overwhelming. Although safety is likely a top concern, finding an affordable vehicle can be just as important.  

Fortunately, cars equipped with solid safety features can be affordable to purchase, provide peace of mind for parents and even help lower insurance premiums.

Here are five cars that offer a balance of safety and affordability for first-time drivers.

2024 Nissan Versa

• Starting price: $17,820 (manual transmission)
• Fuel economy: 27 mpg city/35 mpg highway
• Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles

The 2024 Nissan Versa is the smallest car the manufacturer offers and has a starting price well under $20,000 for the manual transmission model, which makes it quite affordable. If a manual transmission isn’t desired, the next step up is the Versa S CVT, which is priced at $19,490.

Safety features on this front-wheel drive car include automatic high-beam headlights, automated emergency braking — which is standard on the front and rear — lane departure warning, forward and reverse collision warning, and pedestrian detection. Blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control are also available. 

The gas mileage improves in this automatic-transmission model to 32 miles per gallon in the city and 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

2024 Hyundai Elantra

• Starting price: $22,775
• Fuel economy: 33 mpg city/42 mpg highway
• Warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles

New for 2024, the front-wheel drive Hyundai Elantra now has rear side-impact airbags and a rear-seat seatbelt reminder as standard features.

Other safety features include automatic high-beam lights, blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist and rear cross-traffic alert. The base model starts under $23,000.

2024 Hyundai Tucson

• Starting price: $28,875
• Fuel economy: 25 mpg city/32 mpg highway
• Warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles

For parents willing to spend closer to $30,000 for a compact SUV for their first-time driver, the 2024 Hyundai Tucson is a solid option offering either front-wheel driver or all-wheel drive.

Safety features include forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, driver attention warning, lane keeping assist, lane following assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist and safe exit warning.

2025 Honda Civic

• Starting price: $25,345
• Fuel economy: 32 mpg city/41 mpg highway
• Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles

The affordable 2025 front-wheel drive Honda Civic comes from a long-line of dependable sedans that are known for being practical yet fun to drive.

It also comes standard with the following safety features: forward collision warning with automatic braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control.

A sporty hatchback model is available for just over $3,000 more, keeping the price under $29,000.

2025 Acura Integra

• Starting price: $34,195
• Fuel economy: 30 mpg city/37 mpg highway
• Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles

Parents looking for something a little more upscale than a Honda Civic might be interested in what the 2025 Acura Integra has to offer.

The base Acura Integra model, which is a sporty hatchback, starts at just over $34,000 and includes leatherette interior, heated seats and a sunroof.

Standard safety features include adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning, forward collision mitigation and lane keeping assistance.

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