New vehicles are virtually always safer than older ones because the new ones incorporate all the latest and best technologies. But that comes at a price, and it is not a price that most families can pay when they are looking for a car for their teenage drivers.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 83% of families that bought a vehicle for their teen drivers said they bought the vehicle used. The IIHS compiled a list of the safest used cars based on four primary principles:

• Stay away from high horsepower.
• Bigger, heavier vehicles offer better crash protection.
• Electronic stability control is a must.
• Vehicles should have the best safety rating possible (NHTSA 4 or 5 star and good or acceptable on IIHS crash tests).

The mean purchase price for a used car for a teen was $9,800, while the median was just $5,300. IIHS produced a list of acceptably safe models that cost less than $20,000 (see below) and another for vehicles that cost less than $10,000. Only three vehicles cost less than $5,300. It is a sure thing that 50% of the cars purchased by or for teens are not just those three models.

One of the issues when buying a car for a teen driver is the cool factor. A large car like a Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) Taurus ranks near the top of the IIHS list, as does the Buick LaCrosse from General Motors Co. (NYSE: GE). Neither one is likely to fire the imagination of a teenager in quite the same way that the cooler looking (and usually less safe and cheaper) small cars.

Among midsize cars, the Camry from Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) and the Accord sedan from Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (NYSE: HMC) are good safe buys at around $14,000 while a Volkswagen Jetta at $8,200 is also a good choice.

Most of the listed used vehicles under $20,000 are from model years after 2009. The list of used vehicles under $10,000 includes model years as old as 2005.

ALSO READ: Is That Used Car a Good Value or a Scam?

BEST CHOICES:
Recommended used vehicles for teens starting under $20,000

Vehicles on this list earn good ratings in the IIHS moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. If rated by NHTSA, they earn 4 or 5 stars overall or 4 or 5 stars in the front and side tests under the old rating scheme. All come with standard ESC.

Prices, rounded to the nearest $100, were taken from Kelley Blue Book on July 1, 2014, for the lowest trim level and earliest applicable model year based on the following criteria: vehicle in good condition, typical mileage and private party purchase in Arlington, Va.

LARGE CARS	MODEL YEARS	PRICE
Saab 9-5 sedan	2010 and later	$17,500
Lincoln MKS	2009 and later	$15,500
Buick Regal	2011 and later	$13,500
Ford Taurus	2010 and later	$13,500
Buick LaCrosse	2010 and later	$12,900
Volvo S80	2007 and later	$9,000
MIDSIZE CARS	MODEL YEARS	PRICE
Toyota Prius v	2012 and later	$19,100
Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan	2009 and later	$16,000
Honda Accord sedan	2012 and later; coupe 2013-14	$14,400
Audi A4	2009 and later	$14,300
Toyota Camry	2012 and later	$14,300
Buick Verano	2012 and later	$14,100
Subaru Outback	2010 and later	$14,000
Lincoln MKZ	2010 and later; built after April 2010	$13,500
Kia Optima	2011 and later	$13,300
Hyundai Sonata	2011 and later	$12,100
Subaru Legacy	2010 and later	$11,900
Dodge Avenger	2011 and later	$11,600
Audi A3	2008 and later	$11,300
Volkswagen CC	2009 and later	$11,200
Chevrolet Malibu	2010 and later; built after November 2009	$10,900
Chrysler 200 sedan	2011 and later	$10,700
Mercury Milan	2010-11; built after April 2010	$10,700
Ford Fusion	2010 and later; built after April 2010	$10,200
Volkswagen Passat	2009 and later	$10,000
Volvo C30	2008 and later	$9,800
Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen	2009 and later	$9,400
Volkswagen Jetta	2009 and later	$8,200
SMALL SUVs	MODEL YEARS	PRICE
Honda CR-V	2012 and later	$18,100
Kia Sportage	2011 and later	$13,800
Hyundai Tucson	2010 and later	$13,100
Subaru Forester	2009 and later	$12,800
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport	2011 and later	$12,000
Volkswagen Tiguan	2009 and later	$10,200
Honda Element	2007 and later	$8,900
MIDSIZE SUVs	MODEL YEARS	PRICE
Volvo XC60	2010 and later	$18,000
Saab 9-4X	2011-12	$17,800
Toyota Highlander	2008 and later	$17,100
Toyota Venza	2009 and later	$15,900
Ford Edge	2011 and later; built after February 2011	$15,500
Ford Flex	2010 and later	$15,100
GMC Terrain	2010 and later	$14,900
Kia Sorento	2011 and later	$14,500
Infiniti EX	2008 and later	$14,400
Chevrolet Equinox	2010 and later	$13,700
Dodge Journey	2010 and later	$11,200
Subaru Tribeca/B9 Tribeca	2006 and later	$8,500
Volvo XC90	2005 and later	$7,300
LARGE SUVs	MODEL YEARS	PRICE
Buick Enclave	2011 and later	$19,900
GMC Acadia	2011 and later	$17,800
Chevrolet Traverse	2011 and later	$16,600
MINIVANS	MODEL YEARS	PRICE
Chrysler Town & Country	2012 and later	$18,100
Honda Odyssey	2011 and later	$17,100
Toyota Sienna	2011 and later	$16,400
Dodge Grand Caravan	2012 and later	$15,200
Volkswagen Routan	2012	$14,000

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