10 Best SUVs for Teens

2016 nissan juke solar yellow exterior front angle ・ Photo by Nissan

When teenagers learn to drive, a whole new sense of freedom opens up – for their parents. In order to take full advantage of freedom from carpools and shuttle service, parents soon realize that they’ll need to invest in an additional vehicle, or risk becoming shut-ins as their teenagers drive around town. SUVs can make excellent vehicles for teens.

Most of the SUVs that we’re presenting are compact vehicles. The smaller, sedan-based crossover vehicles retain many of the advantages of an SUV and still have many of the advantages of a sedan.

Here’s a list of what we consider to be the 10 best SUVs for teens, presented in alphabetical order by brand. Now send your teen out on an errand, and you can both enjoy your freedom.

2017 Buick Encore

A Buick for a teenager? Absolutely. Your teen will stand out as a mature, safe driver in a 2017 Buick Encore. With a very reasonable starting price of just $22,990, the Encore can get 33 MPG on the highway - very friendly to teen budgets. The killer feature might be the available 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, which will allow your teen’s friends to finish up those last-minute homework edits on the way to school. A surprising level of interior fit and finish will encourage new drivers to keep the cabin clean and tidy. The attractive compact crossover will be a unique vehicle in the school parking lot and on the road.

Photo by General Motors

2017 Chevrolet Equinox

With one of the largest interiors of the compact crossover segment, the 2017 Chevrolet Equinox will appeal to growing teens and their gangly limbs. Equinox’s Multi-Flex second row seat makes its interior one of the most useful in the class, really adding utility to the crossover. Big school science projects can be transported in the cargo hold when the second row slides forward to open up more space. Mountain bikes and other sporting equipment fit right in, making the Equinox a smart choice for the active teen. A starting price of $23,100 makes it smart for the one paying the bills, too, and fuel economy ratings of 21 MPG city/31 MPG highway help at the pump.

Photo by General Motors

2017 Ford Escape

Starting at $23,600, the 2017 Ford Escape impresses with its level of available technology. Parents will sleep better knowing that Escape can be equipped with lane departure warning and blind spot warning. Escape can conquer that bugaboo of teen driving: parking. An available system can automatically park the crossover in a parallel or perpendicular spot, and will even help exit spots without scraping the corners. Three available engines each come with auto stop-start, squeezing the most out of precious gas dollars and helping deliver 21 MPG city/29 MPG highway estimates. SYNC-equipped Ford vehicles also come with vehicle tracking, allowing parents to keep tabs on teen driving habits.

Photo by Ford

2017 Honda HR-V

Honda’s most compact crossover is also its most stylish, and will impress even the most jaded teen fashionista. Parents who want their teens to learn to drive a stick shift will appreciate the base LX model’s standard 6-speed manual transmission, and a base price of $19,365. Even the base car comes with 17-inch alloy wheels (no more missing hubcaps for today’s teen), and a $1,300 upgrade buys cool machined-finish versions. A wide variety of exterior accessory parts are available to personalize and spiff up the HR-V’s look. EX models come with Honda LaneWatch, an impressive safety feature for a car model that starts at just $21,415.

Photo by Honda

2017 Hyundai Tucson

The 2017 Hyundai Tucson starts at $22,700, and in Hyundai fashion, comes with an impressive array of standard features that teen drivers will appreciate. For the well-heeled teen, the Limited model (starting at $29,775) comes with leather seating, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD Radio, an Infinity premium audio system, an 8-inch touchscreen with BlueLink navigation and much more. Add the Limited package, and your teen gets heated and ventilated power front seats, heated rear seats, HID headlights with the Dynamic Bending Lighting system, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and a panoramic sunroof. You may want to keep this one for yourself, and let your teen drive your old minivan.

Photo by Hyundai

2016 Jeep Cherokee

Jeep is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2016, and the 2016 Jeep Cherokee points the way to the future. Teens who love camping and the outdoors will appreciate the Trailhawk Edition (starting at $31,195), which may be the most capable compact crossover on or off of the pavement. Rugged ability comes with a rugged appearance package, 4-wheel drive and 8.7 inches of ground clearance with a 29-degree angle of approach and 32.2-degree angle of departure with a 22.9-degree breakover angle – impressive measurements for a crossover vehicle. A compact 107-inch wheelbase makes the Cherokee Trailhawk incredibly maneuverable, and will help teen drivers conquer terrain that other teens can only dream of exploring.

Photo by Jeep

2017 Mazda CX-3

Mazda’s most compact crossover vehicle brings the “Zoom-Zoom” feeling to teen drivers. The 2017 Mazda CX-3 Sport starts at $19,960. The sweet spot in the lineup is the loaded CX-3 Grand Touring (starting at $24,990), which comes with leather seats, navigation, advanced keyless entry, 18-inch alloy wheels and available all-wheel drive. Mazda’s driver-centric cockpit will encourage teens to take driving seriously, and surrounds them with the tools to make sporting driving a positive experience. The 2.0-liter direct-injected SKYACTIV G engine puts out 146 horsepower, and can achieve 29 MPG city/35 MPG highway in front-wheel drive models. Advanced blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert and a rearview camera will help teens to stay safe while having fun.

Photo by Mazda

2016 Nissan Juke

With a face only a teenager could love, the 2016 Nissan Juke is a fun, goofy crossover that’s like no other. Big headlights and big running lights give the Juke a unique appearance in a parking lot full of “me-too” designs. Sporty exterior accents further enhance the Juke’s organic shape. A starting price of $20,250 and fuel economy estimates of 28 MPG city/34 highway make the Juke an economical choice, and its compact dimensions conserve driveway space for the grown ups’ cars. Juke’s interior, with a motorcycle-inspired gauge cluster and molded center console, assure a cabin as unique as the exterior. Teens who go their own way will appreciate the Juke’s attitude and design.

Photo by Nissan

2017 Subaru Crosstrek

Subaru has a reputation for all-weather ability, and with standard symmetrical all-wheel drive, the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek is an excellent choice for teens who live in four-season climates. The 2.0i Crosstrek starts at $21,695, and comes with a 5-speed manual transmission and fuel economy estimates of 23 MPG city/30 MPG highway. Step up to 2.0i Premium (starting at $23,370) and you can add a $1,000 continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that can yield 26 MPG city/33 MPG highway. Teens will appreciate the rugged modern appearance of the Crosstrek, and its surprising capability in a variety of road conditions. All trim levels get Subaru Starlink multimedia, which allows for smartphone pairing for navigation and Pandora app integration.

Photo by Subaru

2017 Toyota RAV4

There’s a reason why the RAV4 has been popular with teens since its introduction in 1995. The compact crossover brings Toyota reliability and value to the class, and has great utility and style to boot. The 2017 Toyota RAV4 continues the fourth generation model line. No longer strictly a cute-ute, RAV4 is a mature, capable vehicle with sophisticated exterior and interior design features. Mature should not be mistaken for stodgy, as the RAV4 has an assertive and modern look that appeals to all ages. Starting at $24,910, RAV4 comes with Toyota Safety Sense P, an integrated suite of sophisticated safety technologies that will aid teen drivers and ease parents’ minds.

Photo by Toyota