Recommended used vehicles for teen drivers

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has compiled its first-ever list of recommended used vehicles for teens after new research from IIHS shows that teens are more likely to drive less safe vehicles.

IIHS is known for its ratings of new vehicles, but for many families, a 2014 top safety pick or top safety pick+ isn't in the budget.

In a national phone survey conducted for IIHS of parents of teen drivers, 83 percent of those who bought a vehicle for their teenagers said they bought it used.

With that reality in mind, the institute has compiled a list of affordable used vehicles that meet important safety criteria for teen drivers.

There are two tiers of recommended vehicles with options at various price points, ranging from less than $5,000 to nearly $20,000, so parents can buy the most safety for their money, whatever their budget.

The recommendations on teen vehicle choice are guided by four main principles:

1. Young drivers should stay away from high horsepower. vehicles with more powerful engines can tempt them to test the limits.

2. Bigger, heavier vehicles protect better in a crash. there are no minicars or small cars on the recommended list. Small SUVs are included because their weight is similar to that of a midsize car.

3. Electronic stability control is a must. This feature, which helps a driver maintain control of the vehicle on curves and slippery roads, reduces risk on a level comparable to safety belts.

4. Vehicles should have the best safety ratings possible.

You can view the full list of vehicles by visiting iihs.org