Best Accessories and Gadgets for Car-Obsessed Teens (2024)

Interior LED lights seem to be all the rage these days, and this kit from Govee is one of the top-rated choices on Amazon. By using the Govee Home app, you can unlock up to 16 million different colors and even utilize Music mode—where the colors bounce to the beat of your tunes. Simply install with adhesive strips, plug into the 12V socket, and you're good to go.

Keep all of your vehicle's important documents organized with this handy holder that fits right in your glovebox. With clear pockets galore, you can fit and display insurance cards, registration, and other important info without embarrassingly having to dig through paperwork.

Anyone teen who travels a lot needs to have everything on hand at all times, and this rugged seatback organizer from Carhartt more than holds its own. It offers plenty of room for tools, laptops, cell phones, and more. It's even got MOLLE straps for hanging extra gear and a hook for attaching your favorite cap or hat. It affixes to any seat back on any vehicle. Made of sturdy nylon duck canvas, it comes in basic black or Carhartt Brown for that classic Carhartt style.

While you should never let a phone distract you from driving, a well-placed phone holder can make it much easier to play music or operate the navigation app from behind the wheel. There are hundreds of mounts to choose from, but we picked this CHGeek model because it doubles as a wireless charger.

With both a regular household plug and a 12-volt adapter, this handy little mini fridge is a great item that can be used on the desk or in their car to keep beverages and snacks cool during road trips or during all-night study sessions.

These rechargeable LED cup holder lights can transform any ordinary water bottle into a jug of neon-green nuclear waste in a matter of seconds. The discs are charged via USB cable and have up to eight hours of battery life while emitting one of seven colors.

No trunk is complete without a set of jumper cables or an emergency jump pack like this great piece from Noco. The Noco GB40 Boost Plus is capable of jump-starting engines as large as 6.0 liters in displacement and can also be used to charge smart devices in an emergency.

Ideal for kids who get hand-me-down cars, this affordable adapter can transform your music-listening experience. Simply charge it (or connect it to the car's power outlet), plug it into your aux port, and pair your phone. Not only is the adapter good for high-quality audio streaming, it can also be used for phone calls using its built-in microphone. Who needs a fancy, expensive, Bluetooth-enabled radio?

If you've ever lost something in the abyss between your front seats and the center console—and who hasn't—you've likely thought, "Why doesn't someone do something about this?" The folks at Drop Stop have. The Seat Gap Filler's name says exactly what it does. This inventive product promises to prevent many future hand contortions—as well as the occasional skinned knuckle—due to lost change, pens, phones, keys, or anything else prone to falling into the no man's land between the seat and center console. Ideal for teenagers since, ya know, teenagers.

With any older car like the one your teen is probably driving, there'll be mechanical breakdowns and required maintenance. Encourage them to learn to wrench for themselves with this starter mechanics set from Craftsman.

Keeping tire pressures set correctly is the first step in a safe drive, so make sure your teen has a tire pressure gauge like this one from AstroAI in their glovebox. It's affordable and compact, so it'd make a great stocking stuffer.

Dashcams have risen in popularity lately with their ability to capture wild moments and also establish your innocence in case of an accident you didn't cause. Why not consider providing your teenager with the latest in car-cam technology: the Ring Car Cam. The Ring Car Cam records both the view in front of the car and inside the cabin. This way your teenager has a record of the roads they've driven, as well as plenty of footage of all those silly times with their friends inside. As a bonus for parents, you can also access a live feed from in the cabin.

We wouldn't be surprised if your car-obsessed teen is also a total neat freak about his or her car. A lot of Car and Driver editors are too. We'd recommend starting them out with this package of car detailing essentials from Meguiar's, which includes everything they need to shine up their ride.

For many drivers, a vehicle's outward appearance is just as important as its performance. Others want additional exterior lighting to help their car be seen at night. For either of those needs, we recommend exterior LED lights like these from Ampper. These waterproof lights can be placed anywhere on a vehicle and are designed for all weather conditions. They're not intended as driving lights but do work well as puddle lights. They come in blue, green, red, white, and yellow. The lights must be wired to your vehicle's electrical system, so you should see a knowledgeable installer unless you're sure you can handle the job yourself.

We were surprised, too, to find out that fanny packs are popular again. If we had to choose, it'd be this bright-red number that's the product of a collaboration between Puma and Ferrari.

As a teenager, you've got a lot going on, and sometimes whoopsie moments can occur. If your teenager's car is equipped with a tow bar, why not equip them with a product that can help in that accidental locked-out-of-the-car situation. It's all about being prepared, and if the situation arises, they'll be able to solve the problem themselves. Win-win!

For those who are already nearly professional in the car-detailing department, consider this foam cannon from Chemical Guys which, when coupled with a pressure washer, can quickly coat a car with foamy soap. As a bonus, foam cannons are all the rage on YouTube car detailing videos, so it could help your young driver become a viral sensation.

We all want USB ports in our cars now, particularly to charge our phones and power other devices. But getting those ports can be tricky and ugly—this little gizmo changes that. It's designed to fit in your cigarette lighter port and stay flush, which looks cleaner while also providing two extra USB ports. Win-win.