12 Safest Cars for New Graduates
Safety is of great importance when it comes to young drivers, that's why Forbes this week took a look at the best used cars to consider for new graduates.
Forbes looked through crash test results and user-reported performance for 2011 model year vehicles. 5 year old used vehicles hit the sweet spot when it comes to depreciation and reliability, with the price range of these vehicles sitting between $9,000 and $19,000. Check out the full list below to see which vehicles you should consider for your new graduate.
As always, if you're shopping for a new car right now, I recommend you use TrueCar No Haggle and CarsDirect to quickly see what kind of deals are being offered in your area.
| Vehicle | Price Range |
|---|---|
| 2011 Volkswagen Jetta | $9,375 - $12,100 |
| 2011 Volkswagen Golf | $9,550 - $10,550 |
| 2011 Chrysler 200 Sedan | $10,050 - $12,700 |
| 2011 Chevrolet Malibu | $10,700 - $13,075 |
| 2011 Ford Fusion | $11,200 - $14,150 |
| 2011 Hyundai Sonata | $11,600 - $13,850 |
| 2011 Subaru Legacy | $12,100 - $18,100 |
| 2011 Buick LaCrosse | $12,875 - $17,350 |
| 2011 Subaru Outback | $15,150 - $19,975 |
| 2011 Subaru Forster | $15,275 - $19,600 |
| 2011 Honda Element | $16,100 - $17,075 |
| 2011 Volvo S80 | $16,375 - $19,725 |
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
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
March 2026
- Best 0% Finance Deals March 2026 Mar 06, 2026
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Mar 06, 2026
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Mar 06, 2026
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Mar 06, 2026
February 2026
- Best Car Deals by Category Feb 27, 2026
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Feb 27, 2026
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Feb 27, 2026
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Feb 27, 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Feb 20, 2026
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Feb 20, 2026
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Feb 20, 2026
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Feb 20, 2026
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars February 2026 Feb 12, 2026
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Feb 12, 2026
- All SUV Lease Deals Compared February 2026 Feb 05, 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Right Now Feb 05, 2026
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Feb 05, 2026
