Study: Taurus leads best autos for teens

2. Honda Accord: $3,334

3. Ford Fusion*: $3,494

4. Scion xB: $3,506

5. Subaru Legacy: $3,518

6. Volkswagen Jetta sedan: $3,524

7. Audi A3 2.0T: $3,622

8. Toyota Corolla*: $3,656

9. Subaru Impreza 2.5i: $3,732

10. Honda Civic four-door*: $3,738

11. Ford Focus coupe*: $3,800

12. Volkswagen Rabbit four-door: $3,974

13. Honda Fit Sport*: $3,976

14. Mitsubishi Lancer GTS*: $4,392

*Electronic stability control optional or available only on some models.

Source: CarInsurance.com

If you have a teen itching to get behind the wheel because he or she now has a license, you shouldn’t be surprised if the next itch is to have his or her own wheels.

The website CarInsurance.com hopes to eliminate some of the guesswork in deciding which vehicle is the best when it comes to safety, reliability and insurance costs with its “14 Best Cars for Teens” list.

The website focused on 4-year-old 2009 models with a price tag below $15,000. Its research on auto safety comes from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and reflects such features as electronic stability control. CarInsurance also looked at above-average reliability ratings from TrueDelta.com, fuel economy from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and insurance costs tracked by itself.

Either way you cut it, putting teens behind their own wheels won’t be cheap. Among the 14 cars listed, insurance premiums range from $3,300 to nearly $4,400 annually.

“A teenage driver is going to pay a small fortune even if he chooses the most insurance-friendly car,” Managing Editor Des Toups said in releasing the study.