Best Used Cars for Teens Under $20,000

Our “Good for Safety” and “Best for Safety” lists don’t include subcompact cars and other vehicles under 2,750 pounds. Research shows that this class of car doesn’t provide adequate protection, specifically in multiple-vehicle crashes. We also did not include large SUVs and pickup trucks, which can be difficult to handle, especially in emergency situations. Large SUVs and pickup trucks also often have longer braking distances than smaller cars and SUVs. Finally, large vehicles pose a greater risk to other motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

For families or new drivers who can afford it, buying a new car can be the right move, particularly with lower loan interest rates and factory warranties. 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. Another 48 models from our list come with automatic emergency braking and highly rated headlights, all of which can be found for less than $20,000.

These recommendations focus on “Goldilocks” models—cars that provide the best all-around protection for inexperienced drivers by both helping prevent collisions and providing protection from a crash. Among the features to look for are active driver assistance systems (ADAS), which are becoming widespread and are now available in many late-model used cars. Systems like forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and blind spot warning are proven features that can help avoid collisions, and are worth seeking out if your budget allows it.

We’ve organized our list into three groups, distinguished by level of safety. The third group (available to Consumer Reports members only) are the safest cars that are also CR Recommended. This means that these vehicles also meet our stringent requirements for road-test performance, reliability, and owner satisfaction.

• Good for Safety Under $10,000
• Best for Safety Under $20,000
• Recommended Used Cars for Teens

For complete road tests, reliability, owner satisfaction, pricing, and much more, click on the model names below.