Buying a new or used car for the first time can be a daunting experience for inexperienced teenagers. While fashion-conscious, tech-savvy teens are more likely to be attracted to cars with stylish looks, high performance, and copious amounts of tech, parents will understandably prioritize factors such as safety and reliability. US News and World Report has compiled a list of the best new and used cars for teenage drivers covering a wide range of budgets.

"Inexperienced teen drivers are more at risk for an accident, and the car they drive can either contribute to or help mitigate that risk," said Jamie Page Deaton, executive editor of US News Best Cars. "The Best Cars for Teens have top-of-the-line safety features, including accident prevention and crash protection technologies, as well as features that allow parents to track their new drivers. All that tech can not only protect teens but also help them develop safe driving skills."

For the best new cars, the publication based their list on cars with the best combination of predicted reliability ratings, crash test scores, available advanced driver assistance features and top critics' recommendations in the US News Best Cars rankings in its price category. The best-used cars, on the other hand, must be from the 2014 through 2016 model years and have the best combination of reliability and safety ratings, ownership costs, positive critical reviews when they were new, and available safety tech.

So, what are the best new cars for teenagers to drive according to US News and World Report? For less than $20K, the publication recommends the 2019 Hyundai Accent. We can't imagine many teenagers swooning over it, but parents will be happy knowing that the Limited trim with standard safety features like such as collision warning and automatic emergency braking. It also comes equipped with Hyundai's Blue Link system, which can send alerts to a parent's phone if their teen driver is out past their curfew or breaking the speed limit.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta was declared as the best new car for teenagers for budgets between $20K and $25K, while the 2019 Honda HR-V SUV was named as the best SUV for teens covering the same budget. The 2019 Kia Forte was named the best new car for teens for $25K to $30K, while the 2020 Kia Soul was earned the title of best new SUV for teens in the same category. For $30K to $35K, the publication recommends the 2019 Toyota Camry and 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. Topping the list is the 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid and 2019 Toyota RAV4 for budgets stretching to between $35K and $40K.

As for the best used cars for teenage drivers, the 2016 Buick LaCrosse, 2016 Toyota Camry/Camry Hybrid, 2015 Chevy Traverse, 2016 Toyota Prius, and 2016 Hyundai Tucson came out on top in their respective categories.