Safety for driving teens is naturally an important issue. With a lack of driving experience, a road is often dangerous for teen drivers, making buying the right vehicle crucial. However, cars with advanced safety features and higher ratings are usually quite expensive. The alternative is to buy a used car, but unfortunately, many of these lack the safety of newer ones.

To resolve this dilemma, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), in partnership with Consumer Reports, put out a list of some used vehicles (and a few new ones) that offer a great price without compromising safety. One of the models from the list is the Hyundai Tucson.

IIHS list of safe vehicles for teens

The IIHS split up its list of safe used vehicles for teens into two tiers: the “Best Choices” tier and the “Good Choices” tier. Both of these have good safety ratings and scores from the IIHS, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and Consumer Reports, as well as great prices estimated from Kelley Blue Book. The main differences are the prices and the model years, as Good Choices tier vehicles tend to be older and date back to 2008, while many of the Best Choices tier vehicles tend to be newer, going all the way up to 2020 in recency.

Recent Hyundai Tucson models are both cheap and safe

One of the models that shows up on both tiers is the Hyundai Tucson. Recent model Tucsons are perhaps the best combination of safety features for the price. The 2018 models and later are not only more recent and wouldn’t have as much wear and tear, but you can also find them at a great price. The IIHS list estimates that the vehicle is valued at around $16,800. According to Kelley Blue Book through PR Newswire, the average price of a compact SUV as of May 2021 is $31,580. This means you’d save nearly $15,000 buying a used Tucson instead of buying a new compact SUV.

Furthermore, according to IIHS scores, the Tucson received Good ratings across the board for crashworthiness. In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 258,000,000 were hospitalized for vehicle crashes. This widespread issue means that finding a safe vehicle is more important than ever. A car with excellent scores from a trustworthy source for vehicle safety that also happens to be over $10,000 cheaper than most new options is imaginably a great choice.

The Hyundai Tucson according to Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports lists a variety of data points on the 2018 Hyundai Tucson. According to its summary, “The Tucson is fundamentally a pleasant, well rounded small SUV but originally, neither powertrain did it justice, until spring 2018.” Many customers say positive things about the vehicle as well in the reviews section. A few drivers mentioned that the ride was incredibly smooth and quiet, and one driver mentioned that the car saved them a lot of money.

There is, however, one caveat to the vehicle that may make some parents and teens alike hesitant to purchase it. Consumer Reports lists one recall on the 2018 Tucson’s summary, which affected model years 2019-2021 and a few vehicles from 2016-2018. According to this recall, the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) could wear down and cause the car to spontaneously combust. Thankfully, Hyundai gave a few actionable steps to resolving the issue, including calling their customer service number. Hyundai will fix the problem for free at one of their dealerships if your car is one of the ones affected.