What is the best car for a teen? Looking for safety, long-lasting, cheap repairs and under $4000?

Looking to buy myself a car and it needs to meet this criteria. Looking at 2006 honda civic, or 2006-ish nissan altima, sentra, or maxima? Any recommendations? Parents want it to be really safe so that is a must.

By and large, all cars are safe, they need to meet a minimum safety standard to go to market. That said, all modern cars also crumple like tin cans during an impact. Best bet for a new driver tends to be a sedan, small cars don't survive crashes and higher vehicles have more need to compensate for physics, plus it's useful to learn to drive and park a full-sized vehicle early.

Typical advice for lost lasting vehicles, go for a car made is Japan like a toyota or mitsubishi. Cars tend to fall into two groups, they either last a long time but parts are hard to find when they do break, or they don't last to long but there's a tonne of parts available. Domestic produced cars tend to be the latter, Japanese cars the former.

Maxima. And if you can find one with a manual transmission, get that one. I have a 99 with a 5 speed and 205k miles that runs smooth doesn't burn oil doesn't smoke and i expect this car to hit 300k. They are quick for what they are "four door sports car", the Maxima is Nissans flagship, the altima is more of the cheaper mass consumer version. My car is also cheap to repair and easy to work on, and still feels quite modern and in above average overall shape especially considering its a 99 lol.

Volvo, if you can find one. Sturdy cars.
Best car is one driven by a careful, conscientious teen. NO TEXTING. Better Susie see you late than in a coffin. NEVER HURRY.
Low horsepower can keep you from being a thrill seeker… But you can't find that in USA because 0-60 sells cars. Sentra MAY be flimsy back then. I work at a Chevy dealership. The doors are noticeably HEAVY on American cars. Malibu may be a good model there. Bigger than Cobalt (which had issues, I think) Aveo is Daewoo, light.
Regardless, the car has to seem "right" to you. Handling, driving, sitting in the pilot's seat, etc.

A Honda or Toyota will be cheapest due to their reliability, other than that, $100/Hr for any maintenance is what you get to deal with in your Ford, GM, Chrysler, early and often. Volvos are hard as the devil to work on. For $4000, maybe you can get a 10 year old Corolla. Hondas usually cost more.

Clark Howard has recommendations on his site www.clarkhoward.com

The Accord is a good choice but you can't go wrong with a Nissan or Toyota. Mazda is a good car too.