Top Cars for Families with a Teen Driver

Teens love the Kia Soul's boxy styling while parents will love the sub-$14,000 base price and the safety features. The Soul received the highest crash testing ratings possible from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and all models come equipped with six airbags, front head restraints and stability control. All models offer air conditioning, a tilt steering wheel and a stereo with CD player, USB and auxiliary input jacks. Available features include an upgraded audio system, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and cruise control.

Thoroughly redesigned for 2010, the Ford Taurus is now a stylish entry in the mid-size sedan segment (which will please teens) loaded with impressive safety features (which will please parents). Standard safety features include stability control, six airbags and antilock brakes. Available safety features include all-wheel-drive, rear parking sensors, a blind spot warning system, adaptive cruise control that maintains the distance when the car in front slows down and a collision prevention system that warns drivers of potential collisions, applying the brakes if necessary.

While it was redesigned four years ago, the Toyota Camry received a number of upgrades for 2010, increasing its potential as a teen driver's car. Parents will be happy that a driver's knee airbag, stability and traction control are now all standard, in addition to antilock brakes, side impact airbags and side curtain airbags, which were all previously standard. The new 169 horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine gets an estimated 22 city/33 highway mpg, making fill-ups easier on a teen driver's budget.