Bryant Motors

Ride with the people you trust!
Serving Sedalia, Boonville, Clinton, Jefferson City, Marshall, Warrensburg and Central Missouri
(800) 886-2701
2901 South Limit Ave. Sedalia, MO 65301
  • Inventory
    • All vehicles
    • New Vehicles
    • Used Vehicles
    • Featured Vehicles
  • Financing
    • Financing Options
    • Vehicle Trade-ins
    • Auto Payment Calculator
  • Specials & Discounts
    • Deals
    • VIP Rewards
    • Concierge
  • Parts & Service
    • Service
    • Parts
    • Tire Center
  • Collision
  • Resources
    • Car Buying Guide
    • Blog
    • Recall Check
  • About
    • Why us?
    • History
    • Local Info & Reviews
  • Reviews
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Location & Hours
    • Schedule Test Drive

Best Used Vehicles for Teen Drivers

Inexperienced drivers need safety and reliability first.

See our list of the best used cars for teens and new drivers.

Buying your teen’s first car is a big decision. After all, it will be carrying your most precious cargo out into the world. Driving is a huge responsibility, but no matter how many times you tell your teen this fact, they still might make mistakes and drive irresponsibly at times.

As a result, when choosing a first car for your high school aged driver, you probably want to start with a used vehicle that’s affordable and safe. Even though your teen might not understand, a brand’s reliability and safety record stretching back at least 10 years is more important than how “cool” the vehicle looks.

While foreign imported cars might be what comes to mind when it comes to safety and affordability, many American-based brands have made tremendous strides in both areas. While Honda, Subaru and Toyota have traditionally topped the list for affordable and safe used vehicles, manufacturers like Chrysler, Chevrolet and Ford have also upped their game when it comes to reliability and safety. And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention Kia and Hyundai‘s recent reliability ratings.

Most “Best Cars for Teen Drivers” lists have recommendations about how much horsepower a vehicle should have (not much). These lists also say that the bigger, heavier cars and trucks are safer (traditionally they are) and that the vehicle should have electronic stability control (or ESC — and yes, most vehicles built in the last 10 years will have some form of ESC and your teen should use it).

Below we’ve provided a list of used vehicles that our experts have picked out as perfect first cars for new drivers, categorized by the size of the vehicle. Used car prices start at just under $4,000 and increase based on the vehicle and year.

Best Mid-Size Cars & Sedans

  • Honda Accord
    (2012 or newer)
  • Subaru Outback
    (2010 or newer)
  • Ford Fusion
    (2011 or newer)
  • Toyota Prius
    (2012 or newer)
  • Mazda 6
    (2014 or newer)

Ford Fusion

Best Large Cars & Sedans

  • Ford Taurus
    (2010 or newer)
  • Chevrolet Impala
    (2015 or newer)
  • Toyota Avalon
    (2011 or newer)
  • Buick LaCrosse
    (2010 or newer)

Best Small SUVs

  • Mazda CX-5/CX-3
    (2013 or newer)
  • Nissan Rogue
    (2014 or newer)
  • Subaru Forester
    (2009 or newer)
  • Buick Encore
    (2013 or newer)
  • Honda CR-V
    (2015 or newer)
  • Honda Element
    (2007-2011)
  • Ford Escape
    (2013 or newer)
  • Toyota RAV4
    (2015 and newer)
  • Hyundai Tucson
    (2010 or newer)
  • Kia Sportage
    (2011 or newer)

Ford Escape

Best Mid-Size SUVs

  • Dodge Journey
    (2010 or newer)
  • Ford Edge
    (2012 or newer)
  • Ford Explorer
    (2011 or newer)
  • Chevrolet Equinox
    (2011 or newer)
  • Kia Sorento
    (2012 or newer)
  • Nissan Pathfinder
    (2015 or newer)
  • Nissan Murano
    (2015 or newer)
  • Toyota Highlander
    (2008 or newer)
  • Hyundai Santa Fe
    (2011 or newer)

Dodge Journey

Best Pickup Trucks

Toyota Tacoma

Pickup trucks are a popular first car, but few meet the criteria of our list: being safe and reliable. A mid-2000s Toyota Tacoma or Tundra would be most reliable, followed by the Honda Ridgeline. The Ford F150 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are inexpensive to maintain, but not the safest options.


Best Minivans

Dodge Grand Caravan

A teenager might not want a minivan as a first (or second) car, but sometimes practicality and affordability outweighs coolness. Good options here are the 2012 and newer Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country, as well as the Honda Odyssey (2011 or newer) and Toyota Sienna (2011 or newer).

Looking for an affordable, smart and safe first vehicle for your teen driver? Look no further! Conveniently located in downtown Sedalia, Bryant Motors always has a great selection of used vehicles for you or your teen. Select your preferred vehicle type below, or browse through our entire used vehicle inventory.

If we don’t have exactly what you want in stock, we’ll help you find the perfect car for your needs — at the price point you’re looking for! Learn more about our one-of-a-kind concierge service.

Browse by Body Type

Suv Truck Sedan Minivan Hatchback Coupe Convertible


Shop All Used Vehicles for Sale

Bryant Motors’ “Best of” Top Car Picks for Every Lifestyle

Best Used Cars for Teen Drivers
Best New & Used Pickups for Towing
Best New & Used Vehicles for Families
Best New & Used Vehicles With Great Gas Mileage

Best 4×4 Vehicles for Off-Roading
Best Vehicles for Tall Drivers
Best New & Used Vehicles for Safety
Best Vehicles for Winter Driving

Latest from our Blog

FCA Announces RAM Electric Pickup Truck Coming Soon

Best Off-Road OHV Trails Near Sedalia, Missouri

How To Find Your Jeep’s “Easter Egg”

Car Buying Guide

  • 10 Tips for First Time Car Buyers
  • Properly Signing Over Your Used Car Title
  • Repairing vs. Replacing: Out with the Old, In with the New?

Browse Inventory

New vehicles
Used vehicles

Browse by Make

Chrysler
Dodge
Jeep
Ram
Chevrolet
Ford
GMC
Honda

Browse by Price

$10K or Less
$10K - $20K
$20K - $30K
$30K and up

Resources

Car Buying Guide
Blog
Location & Hours
Contact
Recall Check
Bryant Motors
2901 South Limit Ave
Sedalia MO 65301
(800) 886-2701
©2021 All rights Reserved
Website Design by Search Engine Optimization Company SEO Advantage, Inc." • Site info
Fb Tw Blog Cars-RepairPal badge TOP SSL

Full Service Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep Dealership
Serving Sedalia, Warrensburg and Whiteman AFB, Missouri

If you're in the market for a new or used vehicle, we invite you to browse our online showroom or come on down to our dealership and check out our inventory. Bryant Motors has been the premier go-to place for central Missouri's transportation needs for nearly 80 years.

Once you step on the lot or in the showroom, our personable and caring team of auto specialists will show you why we've remained Sedalia's leader for new & used trucks, SUVs, cars and more.

Check Out Our Vehicle Inventory including:

New Cars: Come test drive our Chrysler 200, 300 and Dodge Avenger. The revitalized Dodge Dart provides economical transportation with the handling you'd expect from a sports car. For modern day classics, we recommend Dodge Charger and Challenger. And if you're really in need to speed, the Dodge SRT Viper is in a class all to itself.

New Trucks: Find the best selection of both 2-wheel and 4-wheel drive trucks in central Missouri at Bryant Motors. For best-in-class towing & fuel economy, test drive Motor Trend's Truck of the Year for both 2013 and 2014, Dodge's Ram 1500. For a more heavy-duty truck, we recommend Ram 2500 and 3500 models.

New Minivans: Looking to buy a family car? Check out Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country. These popular family vans set the standard for minivans.

New SUVs: When it comes to Jeeps, we have the best selection of all Jeep models including Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Patriot and Compass. Dodge SUVs are one of our best sellers. The Dodge Durango provides both power and room, while Dodge's new crossover, the Journey, seats 7 and is the most affordable crossover-SUV on the market today.

Used Cars & Trucks: looking for a good used vehicle? Bryant Motors' pre-owned department carefully screens each used vehicle to ensure you're getting the dependability you need. Choose from a wide array of makes and models, including many one-owner cars, trucks and SUVs.

Find the latest Dodge Ram, Jeep Wrangler and other exciting models, or browse our extensive inventory of quality new and used automobiles

Our Sedalia-based auto dealership serves the new and used car needs of surrounding communities, including Warrensburg and Jefferson City.

Find top-quality Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep, including the Ram 1500, Wrangler/Grand Cherokee and other models designed for getting the job done or getting through some of the serious farm and rural country Missouri is known for.

Bryant Motors is centrally located to residents of Sedalia and surrounding areas, as well as vacationers heading to Lake of the Ozarks or Osage Beach.

When you visit our showroom at 2901 S. Limit in Sedalia, you will not only find exciting new Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep models. You'll also find the most knowledgeable and friendly sales staff out in all of central Missouri.

Come visit our dealership near: Warrensburg , Whiteman AFB , Jefferson City, Marshall, Clinton, Boonville

Bryant Motors Auto Service & Repair Serving Sedalia, Warrensburg, Whiteman AFB and Jefferson City

Where you purchased your new Dodge Ram, Grand Caravan or used car is irrelevant - Bryant Motors' service department is here to help with all your automotive maintenance and repair needs.

We offer auto repair and maintenance on all models, regardless of where they were manufactured or purchased.

Whether you need a basic oil change , brake services , auto A/C repair , transmission repair or a total engine overhaul, experienced, factory-trained technicians will get you back on the road as fast as possible.


Find Popular New & Used Cars, Trucks and SUVs:

Chrysler: Chrysler 200 Touring, Chrysler 200 Limited, Town & Country, Chrysler 300

Dodge: Dodge Journey

Ram Trucks: Ram 1500 Ram 2500

Jeep: Patriot Latitude, Compass Latitude, Grand Cherokee (Limited, Overland, Summit), Wrangler

Bryant Motors
Central Missouri Best Car Dealership
Serving Customers in Sedalia, Warrensburg, Whiteman Air Force Base, Jefferson City & Surrounding Areas including Marshall, Boonville, and Clinton, MO