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Every year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Consumer Reports team up to put out a list of the safest vehicles for teen drivers. Having the badge of acceptance from these two non-profit organizations is important. It makes parents feel a little bit better about the vehicle they’re buying for their kids. And while many parents may think that minivans seem like an obviously safe choice for a teen driver, the IIHS and Consumer Reports actually only recommend one: the 2022 Honda Odyssey.

Rear angle view of gray 2023 Honda Odyssey
2023 Honda Odyssey | Honda

The 2022 Honda Odyssey is a Top Safety Pick+

In order to be one of the IIHS and Consumer Reports’ recommended vehicles, the SUV must be either a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+. To win a Top Safety Pick award, a vehicle must get a good rating in all six crashworthiness categories. It also must have front-crash prevention systems with advanced or superior ratings. At least one headlight system out of all available has to be acceptable or good. To win the coveted Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle must have good or acceptable headlights standard on every available trim level.

In addition, they must have average or better reliability, emergency handling scores, and be able to brake in less than 140 feet from 60 mph on dry pavement. Controls must get a rating of good or better, and they can’t have a super high insurance claim rate under medical payment or personal injury protection coverage. These are the five safest midsize SUVs you can buy for your teen driver.

The Honda Odyssey comes with a ton of safety features

The 2022 Honda Odyssey is also a great pick for a teenager because of the number of safety features that it comes with. These include forward collision mitigation, which alerts the driver to a potential collision. It can also apply the breaks at certain times, according to Edmunds. The Odyssey also has lane departure mitigation, which will send a signal when the minivan is leaving its lane without a directional signal. Finally, the Odyssey LX comes with adaptive cruise control to help the driver maintain a safe distance between it and the vehicle in front of it.

While it isn’t a safety feature, a neat part of the Odyssey is its built-in vacuum cleaner. It also has berber carpeting, which will make it super easy to vacuum. In addition, the Odyssey has up-to-date technology, including a pull-down rear entertainment screen.

How much does the Odyssey cost?

The 2022 Honda Odyssey price starts at $34,265 for the base model LX. That’s all you really need, especially if you want to spend the least amount of money possible on your new minivan. The Honda Odyssey LX (as well as all other Odyssey trim levels) comes with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that makes 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. This is matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

You might be looking for a new minivan for yourself that your teen can also drive. Or you may want to buy your teenager a new minivan. In either case, the 2022 Honda Odyssey is a great choice. It’s safe, reliable, and comes with everything you need to be a little more at-ease knowing your child is out there driving.

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