Looking for a Car for Your Teen Driver? Consider a Used CR-V

When your children get old enough to drive on their own, it can be something of a double-edged sword as a parent. On the one hand, you no longer have to chauffeur your little ones around to and from school and their extra-curricular activities, but on the other hand, it can be scary to watch your kids start to drive on their own and difficult to decide on a vehicle that’s a perfect fit. Because your teenager is more likely to get nicks and scrapes on their car than a more experienced driver, you don’t want to start them off with an expensive new car. However, you don’t want to cut corners on things like safety features or reliability because you need to be able to trust that whichever vehicle you buy will be up to the task of keeping your young driver secure on the road.

Here at Honda of Newnan, we understand where you’re coming from as a parent, and we’re here to help. We have reliable and affordable vehicles like the used Honda CR-V for sale here on our lot. Buying used, you won’t have to worry about your teen driver denting a pristine vehicle or staining the interior and significantly lowering the resale value. Honda vehicles like the CR-V are built to last, so you can rest assured that even a model with a few miles on the odometer is still going to have a lot of life left in it. The CR-V has also been in production for decades, so even models that are a few years old have benefited from several generations of optimizing and upgrading everything from the powertrain to the onboard safety features.

Reliable Construction So You Don’t Have to Worry About Your Teen

When your teenager goes out on their own, the last thing you want is for them to get stuck on the freeway because of a breakdown. You also don’t want to have to give up your newly-reclaimed peaceful mornings because the car won’t start on a school day. That’s why it’s a good idea to opt for a reliable vehicle like a Honda. Honda has a hard-won reputation for making vehicles that last for a long while. You can expect your used CR-V to stay in good shape for years to come.

All you have to do is keep up with regular vehicle maintenance, something that can also be used to teach your teen about the responsibility of owning a vehicle. Don’t worry; we make it so easy here at Honda of Newnan that your teen doesn’t have to be a straight-A student to figure it out. Gen Z drivers will be thrilled to learn that they don’t have to make a phone call to schedule service; it can be done on our website with the click of a button. And many older vehicles have onboard systems that let you know when you’re due for service, when your tire pressure is low, and what percentage of life is left in your motor oil, so it will take some of the guesswork out.

Affordable, So You Don’t Need to Worry About a Big Investment

There are two ways that you can save money by opting for a used CR-V. The first is, of course, the sticker price. A brand-new CR-V is reasonably priced, to begin with, and used models are generally more affordable. So you don’t have to put a dent in the family budget in order to get a dedicated kids’ car. If you want to reward your teen for putting in the hard work at driver’s ed or bribe them into driving around their little siblings so that you can have some more time for yourself, then you can opt for features that come on higher trim levels, like heated seats, without breaking the bank.

The CR-V is also affordable in the long run. We’ve mentioned already that Honda vehicles are reliable, so you’re not likely to rack up huge repair bills under normal driving conditions. The CR-V is also a fuel-efficient option and has been for years. Plus, Honda started offering a hybrid engine option for the CR-V for the 2020 model year, so you and your teen could save even more money on gas. For example, a 2015 CR-V with front-wheel drive can get an EPA-estimated 29 MPG combined.^[a] For comparison, a 2020 CR-V Hybrid gets an EPA-estimated 38 MPG combined.^[a]

Crash Tested to Give You Peace of Mind

No parent likes to think about the idea that their child might get in an accident, but it’s always better to be prepared. Do your best to teach your teenager defensive driving techniques and warn them against getting into dangerous situations, but make sure that they’re behind the wheel of a crash-tested vehicle, just in case. The Honda CR-V has been named either a Top Safety Pick or a Top Safety Pick + by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety every model year from 2015 to 2023. ^[b]This independent nonprofit looks at a range of factors, from a variety of crash tests to crash prevention systems.

Safety Tech

Of course, you want to make sure that any car your teenager is using while they’re still getting used to the rules of the road is loaded with plenty of technology designed to keep the driver (and any passengers) safe and sound. Honda has long been at the forefront of this type of technology, so it’s not hard to find a used model with a comprehensive suite of safety tech, though some older models will only have some of the Honda Sensing features. Here are some of the features that you can look for while browsing pre-owned CR-Vs.

Features introduced in the 2015 model year:
Collision Mitigation Braking System can sense when a frontal collision is imminent and automatically brake or supplement manual braking to prevent an accident.
Lane Keeping Assist works to help keep the driver centered in their lane while driving on a highway, using both warnings and gentle corrective steering to prevent drifting.

Features introduced in the 2017 model year:
Driver Attention Monitor senses when the driver may be distracted or tired and provides a warning. This can help your teen learn good driving habits early on.
Automatic High-Beam headlights automatically turn the brights off and on based on lighting conditions and traffic around the vehicle, so your teen won’t accidentally daze another driver while driving at night.
Adaptive Cruise Control slows down and speeds up to keep a safe following distance between the CR-V and the vehicle in front of it, making cruise control safer to use when traffic patterns get unpredictable.

If you’re shopping for a 2019 model year CR-V or older, then you should check and make sure the features you want are included. When they were first released, some of these features were reserved for higher trim levels. But that changed in the 2020 model year when the Honda Sensing tech became standard across the lineup.

You Can Find Your Honda CR-V Here

Whatever features are priorities for you, you can find a pre-owned CR-V that fits your needs and your budget here at Honda of Newnan. You can rest assured that every vehicle on our lot has been inspected before we make it available for sale, and you can get a complimentary vehicle history report for any models you’re considering, making it easy to shop with confidence. We’re dedicated to being honest and transparent every step of the way.

Thanks to short-term leases, we get plenty of vehicles in our used inventory that are only a few years old, and if you’re looking for a Honda that’s undergone an even more extensive inspection and testing process, you can narrow your search down to Certified Pre-Owned vehicles. Whether you know exactly what you’re looking for or still have lots of questions, we can meet you where you’re at and help you get a vehicle that will serve your newest driver well. Reach out today and start your teenager’s driving career off right.

^[a]Based on EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Mileage will depend on model year, trim, and condition of the vehicle. Your mileage will also vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors.

^[b]The Honda CR-V has been named a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) from 2015-2023. For more information, visit (https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Honda/cr-v-4-door-suv/2015). The IIHS is a registered trademark of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute.