Kia Sportage and Chevy Traverse Named Best SUVs for Teens

As the year winds down and news organizations round up their final lists, _ U.S. News & World Report _ has one more, this time for teens. When it comes to inexperienced drivers, it’s better to go with a used vehicle, or a new vehicle that helps them stay safe and focused while staying connected. These days, it’s nearly impossible to separate some people from their phones – at least with modern technology like infotainment systems, people don’t need to have their phone in their hands or be looking down all the time. Whether looking for a car on a budget, or interested in the tech, there are two vehicles that make the list that you can find at Miami Lakes Automall – the Kia Sportage and Chevrolet Traverse.

_U.S. News & World Report – _ * *Best New and Used Cars for Teens

The thought of letting the same person they changed diapers for less than two decades ago get behind the wheel is a hard concept for a parent to grasp, and understandably so. In South Florida, it feels like there’s some kind of car crash every day, some small and some severe. When it comes to drivers who are inexperienced, and even worse when they have poor driving habits, young drivers are more likely to find themselves in an incident. It takes a lot of discipline for a first car to not become a clunker in several years.

The Best New Cars for Teens need to have the utmost combination of overall quality, predicted reliability, high safety ratings, and accident-avoidance technologies. With crossovers on the rise, _ U.S. News _ has mostly large vehicles on their list; it’s also in case a parent wants a new vehicle but lets their new teen driver borrow it now and then. There are many new vehicles on the list, and that’s because a new vehicle will most likely have updated safety features, such as forward collision warning, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert, and automatic emergency braking. The Chevrolet automotive brand even has “Teen Driver” tech in some of their vehicles to allows parents to set speed and audio volume restrictions when their teen is behind the wheel.

If your budget is pushing you towards a used car though, that’s okay. They may not have the same driver-assistance technologies as new vehicles, but features such as a rearview camera, blind spot monitoring, and lane departure warning tend to come standard on many vehicles. Bluetooth technology and voice command has also been around for more than a decade, so finding such tech won’t be too hard on that front either. If looking into used vehicles, be sure to check out our Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles on the lot. By-the-by, Kia Motors renewed their CPO Vehicle program recently.

2018 Kia Sportage

_ U.S. News & World Report _ named the 2018 Kia Sportage as the best new SUV for teens in the range of $25 – 30,000. With many available safety features, parents can look into the technology package on the Sportage EX trim to add on blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and rear cross traffic alert for their teen driver. Plus, with Kia’s UVO technology, parents can receive alerts on their phone if their teen drivers take the Sportage out past curfew, tries to surpass a speed limit set, or leaves a geographic boundary setting.

With a five-star overall crash rating from the NHTSA, a 2018 Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and an excellent predicted reliability rating of 4.5 out-of-five from J.D. Power, the 2018 Kia Sportage is a top choice. Safe and dependable, this is a great SUV for a teen or inexperienced driver. Kia Motors also offers a long-lasting car warranty .

MSRP for the 2018 Kia Sportage starts at $23,750

2015 Chevrolet Traverse

We did say used vehicles are okay too. So maybe something new isn’t in the cards – the Chevrolet Traverse has been a great midsize SUV on the market for some time. With blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning available, and a rearview camera standard, the level of safety depends on the trim. Regardless of the features, the Chevy Traverse earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, as well as Good ratings on all crash tests conducted by the IIHS.

The Traverse also makes for a great lender car when parents don’t need it for the great cargo room, a large 98.2 cubic-feet of space. Not a bad set of wheels for a first car, the Chevrolet Traverse was also rated as one of the 2015 Best Large SUVs for the Money by _ U.S. News _ . Most can find a 2015 Chevy Traverse for around $20k. The Traverse also comes with Teen Driver mode.

Interested in finding a great first vehicle for your teen driver? Find the perfect new vehicle or used vehicle at Miami Lakes Automall .

Photo Source/Copyright: U.S. News

Previous Post Spy Shots and Updates for the Kia Telluride Next Post Kia Telluride Pops Up at 2018 Fashion Week in New York