There's no single "safest car," but top contenders consistently include Tesla Models (like Model 3/Y), Polestars (3, 4), Volvo vehicles (XC90, EX90), Hyundai Ioniq 6, and Subaru Outback, all earning high ratings from agencies like Euro NCAP and IIHS for adult/child protection, pedestrian safety, and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Volvo is historically renowned for safety, while Tesla excels in tech, and newer models from Hyundai, Polestar, and others offer excellent modern safety.
What Are the Safest Cars?
In fact, we're delighted that Volvo received the most IIHS Top Safety Pick+ awards of any brand in the country for 2022. Top Safety Pick+ honorees for 2022 included the Volvo XC40, Volvo S60, Volvo S90, Volvo V60 and V-90 Cross Vountry, the Volvo XC60 and the Volvo XC90.
The safest cars in Australia, according to recent ANCAP ratings, include the Toyota Camry (highest overall 2024 performer), Mazda CX-80, and the electric BYD Dolphin, often with 5-star ratings and high scores in Adult Occupant Protection, Child Protection, and Safety Assist, though the specific "safest" depends on vehicle type, with SUVs and medium cars often leading and utes performing poorly. For used cars, models like the Tesla Model 3, Subaru Forester, and certain Hyundai, Kia, and Mazda models also achieve "Safer Pick" status.
The Holden Captiva and Toyota Camry also ranked in the top three, followed by the Mazda 3 and Nissan X-Trail. The data also revealed flat car batteries as the biggest cause of broken-down cars nationally.
These Car Brands Have The Lowest Accident Rates
For 2025, according to the IIHS, the Volvo model has only "Good" or "Acceptable" ratings when it comes to its safety systems. The 2025 Mazda CX-5, however, scores a"Poor" rating with its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system.
The Volvo XC90 offers up to 85.7 cubic feet of cargo space, while the Volvo XC60 has up to 63.3 cubic feet. Larger families who want a higher towing capacity tend to prefer the Volvo XC90, while city drivers looking for a smaller MSRP and model size typically lean toward the Volvo XC60.
There isn't one single "number 1" reliable car, as rankings vary, but Toyota and its luxury brand Lexus, along with Honda and Subaru, consistently rank at or near the top for overall brand reliability in studies from sources like Consumer Reports and What Car?. Specific models frequently cited for exceptional longevity and low running costs include the Toyota Corolla and Toyota Camry, known for being nearly "bulletproof" for daily driving.
The Mercedes-Benz CLA wins the 2026 The Car of the Year award. The German model wins in Brussels in the final vote with 320 points and takes the crown from the Renault 5 E-Tech as The Car Of The Year.
IIHS 2025 Top Safety Pick+ 1
Top 10 Safest Cars in 2025
Lexus, Subaru, and Toyota are again at the top of the Consumer Reports brand reliability rankings, according to data from CR members who own vehicles from those brands. Rounding out the top five are Honda and BMW.
On the other end of the spectrum, Dodge is the least safe car brand, with 4.03 fatal crashes per 1,000 drivers over the decade.
Volvo is currently owned by the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, a company which owns over 15 other vehicle makers. Even with the wide array of brands that they own, the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group pays close attention to the unique aspects of each vehicle, continually working to make them better for drivers worldwide.
While Toyota vehicles deliver substantial value and dependability, Volvo excels in areas that matter most to discerning drivers-safety leadership, premium comfort, and sustainable innovation.
Is MAZDA or Honda More Reliable? Mazda is far more reliable than Honda in terms of safety picks. Every Mazda vehicle earned an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) top safety award for model year 2023.
There isn't one single "number one" country for road accidents, as it depends on the metric: India has the highest absolute number of road fatalities, while the United States has the most crashes in total volume, but countries like Libya, Guinea, and Thailand often rank highest for the rate of road deaths per 100,000 people, indicating higher risk relative to population, notes www.wionews.com, www.drive.com.au, www.worldatlas.com, and www.worldpopulationreview.com.
Car Colour to Avoid for Safety Reasons
If safety is a concern when buying a new car or choosing a used one, avoid these colours: Black, Dark Grey, Silver, and Dark Blue. These colours tend to reduce your visibility to other drivers, especially at night or during bad weather.
According to the most recent data from Auto Insurance, these are the top 10 models most frequently involved in fatal crashes in America: