Choosing the right car is not easy at all. You have to consider price, style, size, reliability, and of course, safety. With crash data indicating that at least 38,824 lives were lost in the US in 2020 alone, the need for occupant protection and vehicle safety is more crucial now than ever. So whether you’re buying a new or used carmake sure it will offer maximum protection in the event of an accident.
While most automakers try to simply comply with government-mandated safety features and tests, some go above and beyond to ensure that their customers not only equip their cars with passive and active safety features, but they also participate in driver education. To arrive at the average security scores obtained US Car Newsit takes into account crash tests carried out by independent bodies and the number of advanced driver assistance features in all vehicles produced by each brand.
10 Volkswagen – 9.5/10
Volkswagen is one of the car manufacturers that takes safety very seriously. All their cars are built with a heavy-duty safety shell. The German automaker adds crumpled areas to the front and rear of the shell to absorb impact energy in the event of a collision. In addition, all Volkswagen models come with Isofix child seat attachments, while some have up to nine airbags.
Whether it’s the entry-level Jetta or the redesigned GTI hatchback, you can have peace of mind on the road. Going by analysis of iSeeCarsThe Volkswagen Tiguan is one of the safest small SUVs you can buy used.
9 Nissan – 9.5/10
Nissan has come a long way since its Datsun days with a solid lineup of affordable midsize sedans, SUVs, and trucks. The Altima, Maxima, Rogue and Murano are the safest Nissans and have consistently earned at least a near-perfect rating from the Road Safety Insurance Institute (IIHS) and NHTSA.
Automotive research platform iSeeCars ranks the Nissan Altima as one of the best midsize cars to buy used, thanks to its excellent safety score, solid reliability and good resale value.
8 Honda – 9.5/10
Honda’s philosophy of providing ‘safety for all’ is evident in its range of active and passive safety technologies such as the Collision Mitigation Braking System and front seat belts with pre-tensioner and load limiter .
If you’re shopping for a used car for your teen, the 2012 Honda Civic, 2012 Accord, 2007 CR-V, and 2015 Pilot are some of the most affordable and safe cars for teens.
7 BMW – 9.6/10
Although features may vary from model to model, all BMW cars are equipped with many advanced safety features. Cars from the Bavarian automaker have consistently received high marks IIHS in crash, side impact and roof resistance tests.
According to a comprehensive study by EuroNCAP, BMWs produced between 2016 and 2021 scored a safety score of 82% out of a possible 100%. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, the 3 Series four-door sedan and the X5 four-door SUV are some of the safest BMWs you can buy used.
6 Ford – 9.7/10
As Ford turns to electric vehicles and SUVs, its vehicles are safer now. Following the evaluations of the IIHS i NHTSAthe Ford Mustang Mach-E is one of the safest electric SUVs for 2023. The Ford Escape is also one of the safest small SUVs on the market if you don’t want an electric Ford.
When it comes to pickup trucks, Ford goes to great lengths to provide driver safety with crash prevention and collision protection features. All 2015-2019 Ford F-150 models earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.
5 Subaru – 9.7/10
While Subaru includes advanced safety systems found in many other vehicles, it goes one step further by offering a unique EyeSight driver assistance technology system that optimizes cruise control, monitors traffic movement and lets you know if drift out of your lane.
Should you be hit from the side, the Subaru Outback will offer maximum protection as it gets a good rating of IIHS. Other safe Subaru SUVs include the Forester and Crosstrek.
4 Hyundai – 9.7/10
Hyundai’s lineup is full of solid sedans, tough SUVs, and rugged vans. Most of its cars get a near-perfect safety rating and come with a suite of advanced safety features, including forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection and intelligent cruise control with stop-and-go technology .
A total of eight models in Hyundai’s 2021-2022 lineup won the IIHS Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ labels. According to a study by iSeeCarsHyundai Santa Fe and Palisade are some of the safest midsize SUVs for 2023.
3 Volvo – 9.7/10
Volvo prides itself on being a leader in the field of car safety for decades. The Swedish carmaker pioneered three-point seat belts, which it says have saved more than a million lives. Volvo was also the first car manufacturer to introduce the first forward-facing child car seat back in 1964.
Time and time again, Volvo has earned the best scores in the EuroNCAP, IIHSi NHTSA for safety In accordance with iSeeCarsthe Volvo XC60 is the second safest small luxury SUV, based on its perfect safety score from 2015 to 2019.
2 Mazda – 9.8/10
Mazda has a sporty line of vehicles that offer the best value for money. Mazda cars are also some of the safest you can find. In a more difficult to pass side impact test carried out by the IIHS, the Mazda3 sedan and Mazda3 hatchback emerged with the highest rating of “Good.” They were the only cars of the 11 models tested to earn this rating.
In a study of iSeeCars for the safest small SUVs based on their safety ratings and safety assist technologies, the Mazda CX-5 emerged as one of the top ten.
1 Genesis – 9.8/10
Relatively new luxury brand Genesis makes some of the safest cars in the world. Hyundai’s luxury division received the highest safety rating EuroNCAP, a European program for evaluating new cars in Europe. Genesis models such as the G70, G80, GV70 and GV80 earned a 5-star rating.
Also, the IIHS gave the Genesis G70, GV70, G80 and GV80 a “Top Safety Pick+” label for their excellent safety. This organization has a reputation for performing the most rigorous crash tests in the world.
Sources: iSeeCars.com, US Car News, NHTSA, IIHS and Euro NCAP
