• by Tanya Gazdik , August 24, 2017

Toyota has captured two spots on the U.S. News & World Report list of 2017 Best Cars for Teens.

The 2017 Toyota Corolla was named Best Car for Teens $20K and Under while the 2017 Toyota Avalon is the Best Car for Teens $35K to $40K.

Other top finishers were: Best Car for Teens $20K to $25K: 2017 Chevy Cruze; Best Car for Teens $25K to $30K: 2017 Hyundai Elantra; Best SUV for Teens $25K to $30K: 2017 Honda CR-V; Best Car for Teens $30K to $35K: 2018 Chevrolet Malibu; Best SUV for Teens $30K to $35K: 2017 Subaru Outback and Best SUV for Teens $35K to $40K: 2017 Kia Sorento.

The list has a definite eye toward safety along with the allowance for parents to be actively involved in their teens’ driving. 

Inexperience, combined with some destructive driving habits, make young drivers more likely to be involved in a crash. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, six teens aged 16 to 19 die every day from motor vehicle injuries.

A recent study by Liberty Mutual found that two-thirds of teens say using music apps while driving is dangerous, but nearly half admitted to using them behind the wheel. Plus, half of teen drivers also admit to texting while driving, according to a study by AAA. 

The Best Cars for Teens have the best combination of overall quality, high safety ratings, and accident-avoidance technologies across five price brackets, according to U.S. News & World Report. 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary last year, the Toyota Corolla is still one of world's most-loved compact cars. “You probably saw plenty of Corollas in the parking lot of your high school, and little has changed — for good reason,” according to the report. “The Corolla is our best under-$20,000 car for teens because of its excellent safety scores, top-notch predicted reliability ratings, and wealth of standard advanced safety features.”

The Chevy Cruze is one of Chevrolet's most popular models. When properly equipped, it includes features like rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot detection, along with desirable available features like forward automatic braking and lane departure warning. Newly standard this year is Chevy’s Teen Driver control system. This allows parents (many of whom presumably are making these first car purchases for the teens) to track where their teens are going in the Cruze, alerts parents if teens are speeding, and even keeps the radio from being turned on until all passengers have fastened their seat belts.

If your budget is a little larger, the Hyundai Elantra is the best option, according to the report. Pick a top-of-the-line Elantra Limited and you can get blind-spot detection, lane keep assist, and forward automatic braking with pedestrian detection, along with goodies like adaptive cruise control and an ever-handy rearview camera. 

"Plus, with Hyundai’s Blue Link system, you’ll get notifications sent to your phone if your teen keeps the Elantra out past a certain time of night or exceeds the speed or geographic boundaries you set," according to the report.