May is National Youth Traffic Safety Month, an important annual safety campaign for Car Pro Show host Jerry Reynolds, because as listeners know, teen driver safety has been a passion of his for many years. He regularly draws attention to teen driver safety issues like seatbelt use and distracted driving, invites guests on the show like the father of the late 16-year-old Kailee Mills, and gives parents advice on how to choose their teen's first car.
Teen driver safety is also an important topic for Jennifer Morrison, Director of Vehicle Safety Strategy at Mazda North American Operations, who also happens to be the parent of a new teen driver in her household. Morrison is a dedicated safety advocate, and spent over a decade spent investigating highway crashes as an Investigator-in-Charge at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Last weekend, Jerry welcomed Ms. Morrison on the show for an important discussion about teen driver safety, advanced driver assistance technologies that can help teens stay safe on the road and the newly updated IIHS/Consumer Reports Best Vehicles for Teens list which includes a number of Mazda vehicles, many of which we've reviewed. The CX-30 pictured above in an IIHS Crash Test makes the list as both a recommended new and used (2022 or newer) vehicle for teens.
If you missed last weekend's interview, you can catch it in its entirety here:
IIIHS and Consumer Reports Best Vehicles For Teens
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
Morrison also says Mazda leads the industry in IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ Awards. Awarded vehicles include the 2025 model year Mazda3 Sedan, Mazda3 Hatchback, CX-30, CX-50 including CX-50 Hybrid, CX-70, CX-70 PHEV, CX-90 and CX-90 PHEV.
Check out CarPro Mazda Reviews Here →
Additional Resources and Research
New Mazda research is also shining a light on how parents are navigating the challenges of raising teen drivers, and how new priorities and concerns directly impact their vehicle choices. Those preferences, Mazda says, include a shift toward larger SUVs and crossovers. Its Parent's Guide to choosing the best SUV for teens looks at things to consider when choosing an SUV for your teen. You can check out both of these great reads at the links below: