10 of the Best New Cars for Older Drivers
These vehicles offer features and safety technologies designed to appeal to seniors behind the wheel.
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As drivers age, their needs may change.
Building cars, trucks, and SUVs that feature the kind of ease-of-access, advanced safety gear, crash safety, and technology features aimed at improving the ownership experience for seniors is now a standard aspect of any car brand's lineup.
We dug through specs to come up with some of the best vehicles for aging drivers. Each one of the following 10 vehicles stands out for some combination of attributes such as a high seating position, good array of crash-avoidance tech, plentiful convenience features, several cameras for easier parking, and a price tag that may be palatable for drivers on a fixed income.
Alphabetically, here's a look at 10 of the best new cars for more experienced drivers.
Chevrolet
2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV
Older drivers should be included in the electric vehicle (EV) revolution, especially when affordable and practical choices like the Chevrolet Bolt EUV (electric utility vehicle) are available. Featuring a larger rear seat than the standard Bolt EV hatchback, this crossover version comes with one-pedal driving, simple-to-use controls and infotainment, and a starting price of less than $29,000.
Ford
2023 Ford Maverick
Full-size pickup trucks can be intimidating to park and difficult to climb into for older drivers. On the other hand, the compact Ford Maverick shrinks down what a truck has to offer into a more accessible package.
Featuring an SUV-like view of the road ahead, the four-door Maverick provides a low step-in, a usable rear seat, and a cargo bed that you don't need a step ladder to load or unload. It's also quite inexpensive, featuring a starting price of less than $25,000. The Maverick also comes with simple controls and a good complement of advanced safety equipment.
Honda
2023 Honda CR-V
The CR-V is a compact SUV that balances riding above the crowd with a cabin whose step-in height is manageable. It also features large doors front and rear, as well as a remote-opening tailgate.
The base, front-wheel-drive CR-V's starting price of nearly $30,000 is about $2,000 more than a Subaru Forester with standard all-wheel drive (also recommended here). However, the Honda also includes walk-away locking to help keep the vehicle secure without fumbling with a key fob.
Hyundai
2023 Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai stuffs its Santa Fe midsize two-row SUV with buttons and dials instead of relying exclusively on a touchscreen for most vehicle features. While some older drivers might be put off by its push-button transmission (or others might fondly recall similar 1950s and 1960s designs), there's a lot to like about the easy-to-get-into cabin, good visibility out of the windshield and to the sides, and a strong list of advanced safety equipment that is standard.
The base SE trim starts at nearly $29,000. Moving up to the SEL trim nets a good combination of features and price. That version features a video blind-spot monitor, a highway driving assistance system, and an optional surround-view camera.
Kia
2023 Kia Soul
The Soul combines many of the most senior-friendly aspects of an SUV. It offers an upright seating position and easy entry into a lofted cabin without the tall ride height that can make it challenging to step inside a vehicle, or the large proportions that can make navigating through urban traffic or parking garages a challenge.
The Soul is also quite affordable, with a starting price of just over $21,000 for the base model, which can make a difference for buyers on a fixed income. All models also come with automatic emergency braking, lane-following and lane-keeping assist, and a driver-attention monitor.
Kia
2023 Kia Sportage
The Sportage is a compact SUV that can be easy to park while preserving the kind of cabin step-in likely comfortable for seniors.
The Kia has a simple infotainment system and offers a strong set of standard safety features, including forward collision-avoidance assist with car, pedestrian, and cyclist detection, driver attention warning with leading vehicle departure alert, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Sportage also features a rotary shift dial that is simple for hands to grip and spin.
Subaru
2023 Subaru Forester
The Forester features excellent ground clearance for off-road and winter driving, plus narrow roof pillars that give it a commanding view of the road ahead. It also offers large windows at the front, rear, and sides, which improves visibility all around — a key component of helping older drivers stay safe on the road.
The compact SUV offers a roomy interior, simple controls, standard all-wheel drive (AWD), and a starting price of less than $28,000. It's worth mentioning that Subaru's EyeSight advanced safety equipment suite is included with every model (and blind-spot monitoring is available starting with the Premium trim).
Subaru
2023 Subaru Outback
The Outback matches its Forester sibling regarding safety and convenience gear, but wraps it in a midsize wagon-like package. Featuring the same ground clearance and standard AWD as the Forester, the Outback is also great for viewing the road ahead.
Compared with the Forester, the Outback boasts a greater overall length for seniors seeking a bigger vehicle. One caveat: the Outback is more expensive than the Forester, with an asking price of around $29,500 for the base model.
Toyota
2023 Toyota Camry
Traditional sedans can still appeal to many drivers, including older pilots who grew up behind the wheel of these four-door stalwarts. Toyota has ensured that even the entry-level version of its popular midsize Camry is loaded with senior-friendly features, including advanced safety (collision warning and braking, lane departure warning and mitigation, automatic high beams), a power driver's seat, and automatic exterior lights.
The base LE trim starts at nearly $29,000. Its comfortable cabin and simple controls are complemented in higher trim levels by additional safety gear (clearer rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring), keyless entry, and a large, easier-to-read touchscreen.
Toyota
2023 Toyota Sienna
Minivans aren't just for growing families — they're also great for those whose families are already grown. Being able to accommodate the grandkids and their parents while visiting is a popular reason why older drivers gravitate toward vans like the Sienna.
Also appealing are the van's tall seating position, low step-in, easy-to-grasp traditional shifter sitting right on the dashboard, remote-opening sliding doors and hatchback, and the availability of packages that can lift scooters and other mobility aids into the Sienna's generous cargo area. The base LE trim starts at nearly $37,000.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Benjamin HuntingBenjamin Hunting is a writer and podcast host who contributes to a number of newspapers, automotive magazines, and online publications. More than a decade into his career, he enjoys keeping the shiny side up during track days and always has one too many classic vehicle projects partially disassembled in his garage at any given time. Remember, if it's not leaking, it's probably empty.
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