The production of midsize sedans has been shrinking in recent years, due largely to the rising popularity of SUVs. Among the vehicles that remain in the category, one solid yet under-the-radar choice for consumers is the Nissan Altima.

While this sedan hasn’t always received the acclaim that cars like the Accord, Camry, and Mazda6 have, it does offer certain features that those models don’t. What’s more, it recently gained a significant feather in its cap, thanks to an award as one of the best cars for teen drivers from U.S. News.  

The Nissan Altima has a lot to offer drivers

The 2021 Altima comes with a variety of features that help it stand out from competitors. For example, it boasts an all-wheel drive upgrade option–something that rivals such as the Mazda6 and Honda Accord lack. What’s more, it also comes with the option of a VC-Turbo engine, which even the vaunted Camry can’t offer. 

The Altima has also won rave reviews for safety. Not only did it receive a Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but it also got an overall five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These awards were partly due to the many advanced safety features that the 2021 Altima offers, including automatic emergency front braking with pedestrian detection and lane departure warnings. Higher trim levels also feature blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic emergency braking, and more. 

The Nissan Altima just won a coveted award from U.S. News

Thanks largely to its abundance of safety and driver-assistance features, the 2021 Nissan Altima recently scored an award from U.S. News as the best car for teens in the $30-$35K price range. In selecting the cars to receive this award, U.S. News highly valued features that will help teenagers drive safely and navigate difficult situations on the road. Reliability ratings and crash test scores also played a significant role in U.S. News’ evaluation of cars for teens. 

In addition to the safety features mentioned above, the 2021 Altima also features Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies such as ProPILOT Assist, Safety Shield® 360, radar-based blind-spot warning, and high beam assist. U.S. News also reminds worried parents that the Altima comes standard with NissanConnect, allowing parents to set alerts for their teen’s speed, curfew, and location.

These other cars also received accolades as great cars for teens

In total, U.S. News selected eight new vehicles as the best for teens: four cars and four SUVs ranging across price points. At the lower end of the price scale, the 2021 Hyundai Elantra hybrid emerged on top in the $20-$25K cars category. U.S. News noted that it offers more safety features than many of its competitors in this price range, as well as excellent fuel economy. 

In the $25-$30K cars category, the Hyundai Ioniq took home the top prize, with editors making particular note of the car’s 59 mpg rating in combined city and highway driving. It also notes that even the base model, the Ioniq Blue, comes with standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist. 

The last new car to make U.S. News’ list of best new cars for teens is the 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid, which tops the $35-$40K category. U.S. News calls it one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the market and notes as well that the Toyota Safety Sense suite, which includes safety features such as automatic emergency braking and lane keep assist, comes standard on this model. 

All in all, U.S. News’ list provides an array of great choices for new teen drivers and their parents. All the vehicles selected rank particularly high on safety, helping parents rest more easily when their teenagers start stretching their wings.