Mazda Vehicles Named as IIHS and CR Recommended New and Used Vehicles for Teens

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May 1, 2025

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WASHINGTON, May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) is pleased to announce that nearly every Mazda model has been named in the updated list of recommended new and used vehicles for teens from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Consumer Reports (CR).

IIHS and CR have jointly produced the list of recommended vehicles for teens since 2020 with the intention of helping families prioritize safety without breaking their budgets. Teen drivers are already at heightened risk because of inexperience and immaturity, so vehicle choice is particularly important for this demographic.

“The most dated car in the driveway may not be the best choice for your teen,” said Mazda North American Operations Director of Vehicle Safety Strategy Jennifer Morrison. “But good news, there are plenty of new and used Mazda vehicles that are both affordable and loaded with safety tech according to this updated list. Mazda is proud to have vehicles in nearly every category to choose from.”

Both new and used vehicles on the list have average or better scores (3 out of 5) from CR for braking and for emergency and routine handling. They also have usability scores for controls and displays of at least 2 out of 5, meaning the vehicles with the most confusing and distracting setups are excluded. All have standard electronic stability control.

When it comes to protection in crashes, all recommended used vehicles have good ratings in five IIHS tests: original moderate overlap front, original side, driver-side small overlap front, roof strength and head restraints. The recommended new vehicles are winners of the 2025 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK or TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, which means they excel in the Institute’s newer, more challenging crash tests. They also have standard good or acceptable headlights and standard, good-rated seat belt reminders, and high-performing automatic emergency braking.

“Having a teen driver myself, I find peace of mind knowing they are behind the wheel of a vehicle with top safety ratings and systems like automatic emergency braking and seat belt reminders,” said Morrison. “These are standard features on new and used Mazda vehicles because they have been proven to reduce crashes and mitigate injuries. A benefit I’m happy to provide to my teen, and yours.”

Best New Mazda Vehicles for Teens (2025 Models)
Small Cars – Mazda 3 hatchback and Mazda 3 sedan
Small SUVS – Mazda CX-30 and Mazda CX-50
Midsize SUVS – Mazda CX-70 and Mazda CX-90

Best Used Mazda Vehicles for Teens
Small Cars
Mazda 3 sedan (2014-19; only vehicles built after October 2013) $5,000
Mazda 3 hatchback (2014-19; only vehicles built after October 2013)
Mazda 3 hatchback (2019 or newer) $12,100
Mazda 3 sedan (2020 or newer) $13,000
Midsize Cars
Mazda 6 (2016-18) $7,300
Mazda 6 (2019-21; only vehicles built after June 2019) $14,000
Small SUVS
Mazda CX-3 (2016-2019) $6,800
Mazda CX-3 (2020-21) $12,900
Mazda CX-5 (2014-2019; only vehicles built after October 2013) $7,200
Mazda CX-5 (2020 or newer) $15,400
Mazda CX-30 (2022 or newer) $18,000
Midsize SUVS
Mazda CX-9 (2017-20; only vehicles built after November 2016) $9,800
Mazda CX-9 (2021 or newer) $18,500

About Mazda North American Operations

Proudly founded in Hiroshima, Japan, Mazda has a history of sophisticated craftsmanship and innovation, and a purpose to enrich life-in-motion for those it serves. By putting humans at the center of everything it does, Mazda aspires to create uplifting experiences with our vehicles and for people. Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Colombia through approximately 795 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada Inc. in Richmond Hill, Ontario; operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City; and operations in Colombia are managed by Mazda de Colombia in Bogota, Colombia. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at news.mazdausa.com.