Find the Best Car Deals Near You ⤵
42 Best Used Cars for Young Drivers
March 10, 2016
Consumer Reports recently released a list of 42 used vehicles they consider the best for new and young drivers. According to Consumer Reports, all of the vehicles on this list met their criteria when it comes to safety and reliability, and all performed well in their tests.
Vehicles on the list include the 2012 or later Chevrolet Equinox, 2012 or later Honda Civic, Kia Soul, and 2013 or later Volkswagen Tiguan. The full list is below.
Best Used Cars to Consider |
---|
Acura TSX |
Buick Regal (2012-2013) |
Chevrolet Equinox (4-cyl., 2012 or later) |
Chevrolet Malibu (4-cyl., 2009 or later) |
Ford Focus sedan (2010-2011) |
Ford Fusion (4-cyl. and hybrid, 2010-2012 and 2014 or later) |
Honda Accord (4-cyl., 2008 or later) |
Honda Civic (2012 or later) |
Honda CR-V (2015 or later) |
Honda Fit (2011 or later) |
Hyundai Elantra (2012 or later) |
Hyundai Santa Fe (2007-2009 and 2011-2014, non-3rd row) |
Hyundai Sonata (4-cyl., non-turbo, 2006 or later) |
Hyundai Tucson (2010 or later) |
Kia Forte (2010-2011) |
Kia Optima (non-turbo, 2011 or later) |
Kia Soul |
Kia Sportage (4-cyl., nonturbo, 2011 or later) |
Mazda3 (2011 or later) |
Mazda6 i (4-cyl.) |
Mazda CX-5 |
Mitsubishi Outlander (non-3rd row, 2007-2013) |
Nissan Altima (4-cyl., 2010-2012) |
Nissan Rogue (2010-2013 and 2015) |
Nissan Sentra (2011-2012) |
Scion xB (2008 or later) |
Scion xD (2012 or later) |
Subaru Crosstrek |
Subaru Forester (non-turbo, 2009 or later) |
Subaru Impreza (non-turbo, 2011 or later) |
Subaru Legacy (4-cyl., 2009 or later) |
Subaru Outback (4-cyl.) |
Toyota Camry (4-cyl., 2010 or later) |
Toyota Corolla (2010 or later) |
Toyota Matrix (2010 or later) |
Toyota Prius (2010 or later) |
Toyota RAV4 (4-cyl., non-3rd row, 2004 or later) |
Volkswagen Jetta (2009-2010) |
Volkswagen Jetta/Golf Sportwagen |
Volkswagen Rabbit (2009-2014) / Golf (2011-2014) |
Volkswagen Tiguan (2013 or later) |
Volvo S60 (2012 or later) |
Signup for The Weekly Newsletter

Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author

Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
October 2025
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Oct 16, 2025
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Oct 16, 2025
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Oct 16, 2025
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Oct 16, 2025
- Best 0% Finance Deals October 2025 Oct 09, 2025
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Oct 09, 2025
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Oct 09, 2025
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Oct 09, 2025
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars October 2025 Oct 02, 2025
- Best Car Deals by Category Oct 02, 2025
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Oct 02, 2025
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Oct 02, 2025
September 2025
- All SUV Lease Deals Compared September 2025 Sep 25, 2025
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Sep 25, 2025
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Right Now Sep 25, 2025
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Sep 25, 2025
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Sep 18, 2025
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Sep 11, 2025
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Sep 04, 2025
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!