Each year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives out awards for the safest cars on the road. Far from being a crash test dummy survival contest, the criteria for ranking among the safest cars available takes into account a lot more than just which car fared better in accidents. The IIHS also considers which vehicles offer the most by way of crash prevention technology like forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, auto brake, blind-spot detection and adaptive headlights – all things that the federal government will likely require to be included in all new cars in the near future.
If you’re looking to offer your family the best protection on the road, we’ve got your bucket list right here: a breakdown on the IIHS’s safest cars on the road for 2014, listed out in specific categories by make and model. Take note, some of the models listed below only qualify if they were manufactured after a specific date. We’ve included this information to better help you make your buying decision.
Safest Small Cars
- Honda Civic 4-door
- Mazda 3 (manufactured after October 2013)
- Toyota Prius (manufactured after November 2013)
Safest Midsize Cars (in the “moderately priced” category)
- Ford Fusion
- Honda Accord 2-door
- Honda Accord 4-door
- Mazda 6
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Outback
Safest Midsize Cars (in the “luxury/near luxury” category)
- Infiniti Q50
- Lincoln MKZ
- Volvo S60
Safest Large Luxury Cars
- Acura RLX
- Volvo S80
Safest Small SUVs
- Mazda CX-5 (manufactured after October 2013)
- Mitsubishi Outlander
- Subaru Forester
Safest Midsize SUV
- Toyota Highlander
Safest Midsize Luxury SUVs
- Acura MDX
- Mercedes-Benz M-Class (manufactured after August 2013)
- Volvo XC60
Safest Minivan
- Honda Odyssey
Not yet in the market for a new car but want to ensure that your ride is equipped with the latest and greatest safety features available? Start with Openbay. Compare pricing and book service from quality local shops with the click of a button. Openbay is car repair for today’s world.
