Is your teenage son or daughter approaching the age for getting a car? Families with newly licensed teens have a wide range of options this year when it comes to safe vehicles for their novice driver. An updated list of suggested vehicles for teens from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Consumer Reports (CR) includes 74 used vehicles priced at $10,000 or less. Another 48 models that come with automatic emergency braking and highly rated headlights can be found for under $20,000. All can be found online at: www.iihs.org/ratings/safe-vehicles-for-teens.

The list is designed to help buyers narrow their search to vehicles that can help drivers avoid crashes and also protect vehicle occupants in the event of a crash. The annual list of teen vehicles, which the IIHS and CR have produced jointly since 2020, is intended to help families prioritize safety without busting their budgets.

It can be tempting to give a young driver a very old and inexpensive car, but there’s a good chance that rusting hulk in your driveway lacks key safety features and the highest levels of crash protection. As in past years, the list does not include vehicles with excessive horsepower relative to weight or anything marketed for performance. Such vehicles can entice young drivers to take risks or lead them to speeding.

The latest list also doesn’t have any minicars or anything that weighs less than 2,750 pounds. Although many smaller models are popular with young drivers, they can’t protect their occupants as well in crashes with other vehicles.

On the flip side, large SUVs and large pickups might offer greater crash protection in some configurations, but they aren’t suitable for teens because they can be difficult to handle and take longer to stop. They also pose more risk to others on the road, including pedestrians, bicyclists and people in smaller vehicles.

Cars with shorter stopping distances and better-designed handling are a significant boon to inexperienced drivers, easing their ability to operate the vehicle safely in all situations. All have standard electronic stability control — even the 2011 Mini Countryman, the one vehicle on the list from before the 2012 model year, when the technology became mandatory.

Models in the top tier of used vehicles, designated as Best Choices, also have standard automatic emergency braking (AEB) that performs well in IIHS track tests. AEB, which can help drivers avoid rear-ending another vehicle — and in many cases striking a pedestrian — is an important technology for all drivers. It’s particularly relevant for teens, who are more apt to lose focus or make mistakes.

Vehicles with good safety-belt reminder ratings have loud, persistent prompts that are difficult to ignore, a great feature for everyone, but especially young people, who are less likely to buckle up than other adults.

Check out the listing from IIHS before you buy.