Let’s face it…  kids are expensive.  They start driving roughly around 16-17 years old, and then, a year or two later, they graduate high school and are on their way to college.   Between saving for your child’s education, the mandatory increase in your car insurance, and the cost of helping them to purchase an affordable and reliable car so that they may launch their independence into the real world and workforce, on top of the ever increasing cost of living in your area, you may think a new car is not in their near future.  You’ll want them to have a safe ride to and from their local or community college classes, and for teens getting their collage education a little bit farther away from home, they will need a reliable vehicle to get them home during spring break and holiday weekends.  With their new found freedom, the idea of your child driving around in an unreliable vehicle, or having to hope that the person who sold your son or daughter their first car wasn’t lying about any issues under the hood, can be very stressful.   

Safety is also an issue and we know that starting the day your child gets their driver’s license and backs out of your drive way for the first time without an experienced driver in the car, you get at least 10 new grey hairs…  As a parent we know you want to do everything to keep your child safe.   Safety ratings and standards on new cars are constantly rising, but so are the prices. The last thing you want to do is sacrifice the safety of your son or daughter, with a cheaper unreliable vehicle or an older one with poor safety standards/features.      

Stress no more… school is in session as we offer you a line up of 12 hip, cool, safe and affordable vehicles that start at $15,000 or less…  

What you may not realize is with the ever growing competition in the auto markets of both compact and mini cars, so does the availability of extremely affordable and extremely safe vehicles.  There is no sacrificing safety or style anymore, with almost a dozen automakers pulling overnighters to both raise the safety standards and design vehicles so sleek, youthful and trendy, one of these compact rides is sure to peak the interest of even the pickiest of teens…   The smaller sized vehical will also give new drivers an edge to learning to manuever in traffic and tight spaces, park safer, and to see cearly around the car's blind spots.  To top it all off, three of the models hit the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick and they are all great on gas, ranging between 24/44 mpg, which will leave a little spending money in your child’s wallet.     

IIHS Safety Rating Scale: 

Good

Acceptable

Marginal

Poor

12 Cars Starting at MSPR $1500 or LESS:

1. Kia Soul - MSRP $15,100  - MPG 24/30  - IIHS Top Safety Pick

Photo Credit: Kia

Safety Rating

• Small overlap front - Rating: G

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: G

• Roof strength - Rating: G

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: G

2. Kia Rio - MSRP $13,900  - MPG 27/37

Photo Credit: Kia

Safety Rating: 

• Small overlap front - Rating: M

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: A

• Roof strength - Rating: G

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: G

2. 2015 Honda Fit - MSRP $15525 - MPG  33/41

Photo Credit: Honda

 Safety Rating: 

• Small overlap front - Rating: A

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: G

• Roof strength - Rating: G

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: G

4-5. 2015 Nissan Versa/Versa Note - $11,990/$14180 - MPG 31/40

Photo Credit: Nissan

Safety Rating:

• Small overlap front - Rating: P

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: G

• Roof strength - Rating: G

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: G

VERSA NOTE

Photo Credit: Nissan

Safety Rating:

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: A

• Roof strength - Rating: A

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: G

6. 2014 Ford Fiesta - MSRP $13,865  - MPG 28/36 - IIHS Top Safety Pick

Photo Credit: Ford

Safety Rating:

• Small overlap front - Rating: M

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: G

• Roof strength - Rating: G

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: G

7. 2015 Toyota Yaris (Hatchback) - MSRP $14845 - MPG 30/37 

Photo Credit: Toyota

Safety Rating: 

• Small overlap front - Rating: M

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: G

• Roof strength - Rating: G

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: G

8. 2014 Chevrolet Spark - MSRP $12,170  - MPG 31/39 -  IIHS Top Safety Pick 

Photo Credit: Chevrolet

Safety Rating:

• Small overlap front - Rating: A

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: G

• Roof strength - Rating: G

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: G

9. 2014 Chevrolet Sonic - MSRP $14,770 - MPG 29/40

Photo Credit: Chevrolet

Safety Rating:

• Small overlap front - Rating: M

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: G

• Roof strength - Rating: G

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: G

10. 2014 Hyundai Accent - MSRP $14,645 - MPG 27/38

Photo Credit: Hyundai

Safety Rating:

• Small overlap front - Rating: P

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: A

• Roof strength - Rating: G

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: G

11. 2014 Maza 2 - MSRP 14720  - MPG 35

Photo Credit: Mazda

Safety Rating:

• Small overlap front - Rating: M

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: A

• Roof strength - Rating: G

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: A

12. 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage - MSRP $12,995 - MPG 44 

Photo Credit: Mitsubishi

Safety Rating:

• Small overlap front - Rating: P

• Moderate overlap front - Rating: G

• Side - Rating: G

• Roof strength - Rating: G

• Head restraints & seats - Rating: G