Buying a brand new car might be one of the most difficult things you have to do as a freshman in college. We’ve made it easier to identify models that are safe, inexpensive, practical, and contain must-have technology, whether you’re searching for yourself or the lucky student in your life.
Here are ten of the finest new automobiles for college students, ranging from small crossovers to midsize sedans, with a few additional possibilities in between. All of these vehicles have excellent safety records and rate well in our rankings.
Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is one of the automobiles on our list that has a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It also has a minimal cost of ownership and a track record of dependability. The starting price of the Corolla represents the entry-level L model. For $450, you may upgrade to the LE trim level. It comes with a lot more standard features, such as automatic temperature control, remote keyless entry, and a rear-seat center armrest.
Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.0 is standard on all Corolla models. This is a collection of driver assistance features that includes forward collision warning, automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane centering, traffic-sign recognition, and high-beam assist.
Upgrading to the LE adds a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic warning as part of a $1,150 option package. Bluetooth, voice recognition, one USB port, Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Wi-Fi connectivity are all available. The combined fuel efficiency is assessed by the government to be 33 mpg.
Honda Civic
We chose the Honda Civic car for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that it has consistently received the Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award. Furthermore, the all-new 2022 model reclaimed the title of “Compact Car Best Buy.” The IIHS awarded it a Top Safety Pick+, while the NHTSA gave it a 5-Star rating. It also achieves 35 mpg in combined driving, according to the government.
Every Civic comes standard with Honda Sensing, which includes frontal collision warning, auto emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connections, two USB outlets, and Bluetooth connectivity are all available. Honda does not often provide option packages. You must advance up the trim-level ladder to acquire additional material.
Hyundai Elantra
Hyundai substantially revamped the Elantra two years ago. For the low price of the entry-level SE, you get not only an expected 37 mpg combined efficiency but also Hyundai’s SmartSense suite of driver-assist safety features. Forward collision warning, automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane centering, driver attention warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert are among the features available.
High-beam assist, an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition, and two USB ports are all included. These are some of the reasons why it has previously been named a KBB Compact Car Best Buy.
The government has not crash-tested the 2023 Elantra as of this writing, but the 2022 model received a 5-Star rating, and we expect the 2023 to perform similarly. The 2022 model was examined by the IIHS and rated a Top Safety Pick. We predict this automobile to perform similarly in 2023 because there are no modifications.
Honda HR-V
The updated Honda HR-V is a fantastic pick for 2023, being larger, more powerful, and more tuned. The Honda HR-V, with its spacious cabin, achieves a decent 28 mpg in combined city-highway driving. Although neither the government nor the IIHS have released crash test data, the HR-V is based on the Honda Civic, which received a 5-Star rating and is a Top Safety Pick+. As a result, we anticipate that the all-new HR-V will fare admirably in safety testing.
The pricing listed above is for the base LX grade, which includes the Honda Sensing Suite of driving aids such as front collision warning, auto emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. To receive the blind-spot monitoring system with a cross-traffic monitor, however, you must upgrade to the EX.
A 7-inch touch screen, Bluetooth connection, two USB charging ports, and one USB interface connector are also included in the basic HR-V. The LX also has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard features.
Mazda Mazda3
The Mazda3 received a “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS. It also gets 31 mpg in combined city-highway driving, according to the government. The Mazda3 has outstanding handling and may be equipped with all-wheel drive. (AWD). Its optional AWD is also one of the reasons we rated it one of the Best Cars for Snow.
The Mazda3 feels more costly on the inside than it is. Although blind-spot monitoring is only available on the Select trim level, the Mazda3 comes standard with frontal collision warning, emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, driver attention alert, and high-beam assist. Bluetooth with speech recognition, an 8.8-inch touchscreen, and two USB ports are all standard features. A Mazda3 hatchback can hold up to 47 cubic feet of stuff.
Subaru Crosstrek
All-wheel drive is standard on Subaru’s go-anywhere Crosstrek (AWD). While the Crosstrek comes standard with a 6-speed manual gearbox, investing an additional $1,350 for the CVT adds several important safety measures. The CVT-equipped Crosstrek also has technology that allows you to select between optimum fuel efficiency and power. Fuel economy improves when fitted with the CVT. The combined mileage is 30 miles per gallon, compared to 25 miles per gallon with the manual.
The basic Crosstrek, an IIHS Top Safety Pick, has Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology when equipped with the CVT. The CVT also has front collision warning with automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, and adaptive cruise control. A blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic warning is available as an option or standard on higher model levels. One USB connector, a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and hands-free phone integration round out the connectivity.
Kia Seltos
The Kia Seltos offers a surprising amount of space for a subcompact SUV. Every version of the Seltos, an IIHS Top Safety Pick, has a comprehensive suite of safety technologies such as front collision warning with emergency braking, driver attention alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane centering, and high-beam assist. To get blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning, you must upgrade to the S grade, which costs an extra $50.
Bluetooth with speech recognition, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and one USB port are among the connectivity options. Seltos has a class-leading cargo capacity as well as a second-row seat spacious enough to accommodate people.
Hyundai Kona
The Hyundai Kona is a subcompact SUV that provides excellent value. Its tiny size makes it simple to park on campus, and the rear luggage compartment is ideal for carrying equipment. Furthermore, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility are standard. The gas engine achieves up to 35 mpg in terms of fuel economy. (An EV is also available.)
The Kona has been on the market for some years and has shown to be dependable. It’s also an IIHS Top Safety Pick. Even the entry-level SE model has blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, front collision-avoidance aid, lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic collision warning.
Nissan Sentra
The Nissan Sentra combines utility with an upscale appearance and a dash of sportiness. This little automobile includes “zero-gravity” seats that are meant to provide comfort on the way to school or work. The Sentra gets up to 39 mpg on the interstate (33 mpg combined), so excursions to the gas station aren’t too expensive. All models come equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The basic model has the entire suite of SafetyShield 360 driving aids, including auto emergency braking with pedestrian recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and high-beam assist. The Nissan Sentra 2022 is a Top Safety Pick with a 5-Star NHTSA certification.
Kia Soul
We like that the spacious Kia Soul has the lowest starting price on this list. However, it is not just on our list because of its low price. It is also quite affordable. All models have frontal collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and driver attentiveness alert as standard features. Moving up to the S model level adds lane-departure warning, blind-spot collision avoidance, automatic high beams, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, all of which are available on the LX. The Soul was named an IIHS Top Safety Pick for 2022, and we anticipate that the 2023 model will perform similarly.
Bluetooth (no speech recognition), Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and one USB port are included in the basic model. The Soul, when equipped with an automatic gearbox (CVT), may achieve up to 31 mpg in combined driving.
