Honda Civic tops teen driver list

SUVs are becoming less popular among teen drivers and performance cars don't make the list.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Honda Civics, both new and used, are the most popular cars among teenage drivers, according to a recent survey.

The most popular new car among teens is the Civic, and the most popular used car is a seven-year-old Civic, according to a national survey conducted by Quality Planning Corporation (QPC), which helps insurance companies verify policy holder information.

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The survey looked at cars that were primarily driven by, but not necessarily owned by, teenagers.

The survey also found that the average price of teenagers' used cars in the U.S. is $7,410. The average used vehicle driven by a teenager is 9 years old and the average teenager drives about 9,307 miles a year.

Large SUVs, once a popular choice because parents thought they were "safe," are no longer popular, according to QPC. Its study attributed the drop to higher gasoline prices as well as awareness that a large, heavy vehicle may not be the safest choice for an inexperienced driver.

Sports cars don't appear among the top ten in either list, presumably because of the higher insurance costs and higher risks presented by the aggressive driving performance-oriented cars invite, according to QPC.

Most popular new cars for teen drivers:

1. Honda Civic
2. Ford Focus
3. Toyota Corolla
4. Chevrolet Cavalier
5. Ford Ranger
6. Honda Accord
7. Ford F150
8. Ford Explorer
9. Pontiac Grand Am
10. Pontiac Sunfire

Most popular used cars for teen drivers

(age in parentheses)

1. Honda Civic (7)
2. Honda Accord (10)
3. Toyota Camry (9)
4. Chevrolet Cavalier (7)
5. Ford Explorer (7)
6. Toyota Corolla (7)
7. Ford Ranger (8)
8. Pontiac Grand Am (7)
9. Jeep Grand Cherokee (8)
10. Ford Taurus (8)