When it comes to a teen’s first car, the options might seem endless. But before these rookie drivers, or more likely their parents, plunk down a payment on that “first car”, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has some important advice. 

And of course, being the IIHS, safety is the main priority. So they’ve compiled a list of suggested vehicles, that all meet some key criteria.

One of them includes vehicles with low horsepower-- as there is less of a chance for things to get out of hand behind the wheel.

They also strongly recommend your teen’s car have some sort of electronic stability or traction control system as this feature helps them maintain control of the vehicle.

IIHS also favors midsize or large sedans, and SUVs-- as they generally prove to be safer in collisions. And along with size, they also recommend choosing vehicles that have the best safety ratings possible.

All of the Institute’s vehicle suggestions are relatively new ones- ranging from model year 2005 and later.

The list includes some obvious sedan choices like the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Taurus, and Buick LaCrosse. Along with the Kia Sorento, Nissan Rogue, and Hyundai Santa Fe among utilities. But their suggestions expand far beyond those with many recommended vehicles available for $10,000 or less.

For a complete list of vehicles, check out the IIHS’ website. And that’s it for this week’s Motor News.