Best Hatchbacks for Teens for 2024
These are the best hatchbacks for teens based on iSeeCars’ analysis of each vehicle’s reliability, resale value and safety.
The best hatchback for teens is the Mazda Mazda3 Hatchback with an iSeeCars Safety Score of 10 out of 10. We believe safety is the most important consideration when buying a car for a teenager or a first time driver. The iSeeCars Safety Score reflects the safety ratings from NHTSA over the last five years and the latest IIHS ratings. In addition, key safety features are also considered in the ranking. Examples of key safety features include lane departure warning, teen monitoring technology, and automatic emergency braking. Based on the iSeeCars Safety Score and key safety features, the second best hatchback for teens is the Honda Civic (hatchback) with a Safety Score of 9.0.
The best hatchback for teens is the Mazda Mazda3 Hatchback with an iSeeCars Safety Score of 10 out of 10. We believe safety is the most important consideration when buying a car for a teenager or a first time driver. The iSeeCars Safety Score reflects the safety ratings from NHTSA over the last five years and the latest IIHS ratings. In addition, key safety features are also considered in the ranking. Examples of key safety features include lane departure warning, teen monitoring technology, and automatic emergency braking. Based on the iSeeCars Safety Score and key safety features, the second best hatchback for teens is the Honda Civic (hatchback) with a Safety Score of 9.0.
- Safety score 10 / 10
- Starting MSRP: $24,950
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 8.2 / 10
- Value Retention 8.3 / 10
- Safety 10 / 10
- Safety score 9.0 / 10
- Starting MSRP: $45,595
iSeeCars Best Car Rankings are calculated based on an analysis of data from over 12 million cars that assesses how long each vehicle lasts and how well it retains its value over time, along with safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association
See how we rank these cars- Reliability 8.4 / 10
- Value Retention 9.0 / 10
- Safety 9.0 / 10
Related Rankings
How We Rank These Cars
The best cars for teens rank vehicles by their iSeeCars Safety Score, which is based on the latest safety ratings from IIHS and NHTSA, as well as safety features focused on providing parents with peace of mind.
With safety as the number one factor in identifying the best cars for teens, iSeeCars considered only cars with a NHTSA crash test rating of 4 or better and a IIHS Top Safety Pick or better, and excluded large trucks and SUVs, minivans, and sporty cars and cars with high horsepower. For each vehicle, we also display an iSeeCars Score.
iSeeCars Score is an analysis of three factors: reliability, resale value and safety. It is calculated based on the latest research and analysis by our data science team. The data analysis comes from over 12 million new and used vehicles in our Longest-Lasting Cars and 5-Year Depreciation Studies, combined with NHTSA and IIHS Safety Ratings.
Vehicles are scored in three categories:
Reliability
The reliability score represents an analysis of iSeeCars' proprietary research on the longest-lasting vehicles.
Value Retention
The value retention score is based on our data science team's statistical analysis and prediction of 5-year depreciation from MSRP to determine which cars hold their value best, using US Bureau of Labor Statistics data to adjust for inflation.
Safety
The safety score is calculated based on the last five years of crash test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and incorporates the latest Top Safety Pick information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).