Guide
Best Cars for Teen Drivers to Insure
What makes a car cheap or expensive to insure for a teen—size, horsepower, crash ratings, repair cost, theft—and the profile safety researchers recommend.
By Samuel Oduya · Staff Writer
Published · Updated
Answer in brief
The car a teen drives can swing the family premium by $1,000–$2,000 a year. The cheapest and safest profile is the same one safety researchers recommend: a mid-size or larger sedan or small SUV, a few years old, with modest horsepower, electronic stability control, good crash-test ratings and common parts. Avoid sports cars, performance trims, very small cars, large trucks and luxury brands. Quote the specific vehicle with the teen listed before buying.
The recommended profile
- Mid-size or larger—better occupant protection; avoid very small cars.
- No sports cars or high-horsepower trims—tempt speed and cost more to insure.
- Electronic stability control standard (all cars since 2012).
- Good crash-test ratings from independent safety organisations.
- A few years old—lower value, lower collision premium, still modern safety.
- Mainstream brand—cheaper parts and repairs.
Why these are also cheapest to insure
Insurers rate each model on its real claims history. Mid-size sedans and small SUVs have moderate collision losses, low injury losses and low theft. Sports cars have high collision losses and are rated more harshly for young drivers. Large trucks cause more damage to others and cost more to repair.
Assignment matters as much as the car
Even if the family has a suitable car, the saving only appears if the teen is assigned to it and actually drives it. See adding a teen.
Quote finder
Find auto insurance quotes that fit your situation
Check before buying
Quote two or three candidates with the teen as principal operator. The results often reorder the list by a thousand dollars or more.
Questions & answers
What's the cheapest car to insure for a 16-year-old?
A mid-size sedan or small SUV, a few years old, with a modest engine and good crash ratings.
Are small cars cheaper to insure for teens?
Not necessarily—poor occupant protection raises injury premiums. Mid-size is usually cheaper overall.
Should a teen's car have collision coverage?
If it is worth more than about $5,000, usually yes with a $1,000 deductible; on a cheaper car, liability plus comprehensive is often the better trade.
Terms used in this guide
- Vehicle rating symbol
- A number assigned to each make/model/year from claims data, driving collision and comprehensive premiums.
- Collision coverage
- Repairs your own car after a crash, minus the deductible.
- Comprehensive coverage
- Theft, weather, vandalism, fire, animal strikes, glass.
Sources and references
Legal figures on this page (minimum limits, filing periods, statutory benefits) are checked against the primary law or the state insurance regulator listed below. Links and figures last verified Nov 2026.
- Teenagers — Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyIndependent researchTeen crash risk, graduated driver licensing research and vehicle recommendations for young drivers.
- Graduated licensing laws by state — Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyIndependent researchState-by-state learner, intermediate and full-licence ages, night-driving and passenger restrictions.
- Vehicle ratings — Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyStatistical dataCrashworthiness and crash-avoidance ratings by make and model.
- Insurance losses by make and model — Highway Loss Data InstituteStatistical dataRelative claim frequency and severity by vehicle under collision, property damage, comprehensive, PIP, MedPay and bodily injury coverages.
- Fatality facts: Teenagers — Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (2024)Statistical dataFatal crash rate per mile driven for 16–19-year-olds is just over 3 times the rate for drivers 20 and older (2022 travel data); all-severity crash rate is over 4 times; risk is highest at 16–17.
- Drivers in fatal motor vehicle crashes by age, 2023 — Insurance Information Institute (2025)Statistical dataFatal-crash involvement per 100,000 licensed drivers: 42.40 (16–20), 35.34 (21–24), 28.97 (25–34), 24.18 (35–44), 21.70 (45–54), 19.45 (55–64), 15.44 (65–74), 16.63 (75+).
- Top Safety Pick awards — Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyStatistical dataCurrent award winners; useful when choosing a vehicle for a new or young driver.
- Auto insurance for teen drivers — Insurance Information InstituteConsumer guidanceAdding a teen to a parent's policy versus a separate policy; good-student and driver-training discounts; vehicle choice.
Practical guidance on this page is original editorial work. Cited sources support factual statements and do not endorse this site. Dollar ranges described as typical or illustrative are editorial estimates, not figures from these sources.
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