Which Cars are the Safest and Which Cars are the Least Safe?

Choosing a vehicle with strong crash protection and effective safety technology can reduce the risk of serious injury in a collision. NHTSA and IIHS provide safety information that can help consumers compare vehicles, but safety depends on more than a single rating. Sabbeth Law helps people injured in car accidents in Vermont and New Hampshire understand their legal rights and options.

How Do You Determine Which Cars Are the Safest?

There is no single vehicle that can accurately be called the “safest car” for every driver or every type of crash. Vehicle safety depends on factors such as crashworthiness, crash-avoidance technology, vehicle size and weight, and performance across different types of collisions.

Two of the most useful sources for consumers are the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluate vehicles in frontal, side, and rollover tests. Vehicles receive ratings from 1 to 5 stars, with 5 stars representing the highest rating. NHTSA also provides an Overall Vehicle Score that incorporates results from its frontal, side, and rollover evaluations.

NHTSA cautions against treating a five-star rating as proof that one vehicle is universally safer than another. Its ratings are designed to help consumers compare vehicles, and some ratings are only directly comparable within appropriate vehicle classes.

For example, NHTSA explains that frontal crash ratings should generally be compared with vehicles in the same class and within 250 pounds of the vehicle being evaluated because the frontal test represents a crash between vehicles of similar weight.

IIHS Safety Evaluations

The IIHS evaluates vehicles using crashworthiness tests and crash-prevention assessments. Its Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards identify vehicles that perform especially well within their respective size categories.

For the 2025-26 model years, IIHS lists vehicles such as the Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Mazda3, Toyota Prius, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-50, Subaru Forester, and numerous other models among its Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ winners, depending on model year and configuration.

A vehicle’s specific model year and equipment can matter. Some IIHS awards apply only to vehicles built after particular production dates or to particular trims. Consumers should therefore verify the exact vehicle configuration rather than assuming every version of a model has the same rating.

Which Cars Are Among the Safest Choices?

Rather than presenting an unsupported “top 10 safest cars” list, it is more accurate to identify vehicles that currently perform well in independent safety evaluations.

For example, IIHS’s current Top Safety Pick listings include:

Small cars: Honda Civic hatchback, Hyundai Elantra, Kia K4, Mazda3, and Toyota Prius have received Top Safety Pick+ designations for applicable model years and configurations.

Midsize cars: The Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are among the vehicles receiving Top Safety Pick+ designations for applicable model years.

Small SUVs: The Honda HR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-30, Mazda CX-50, and Subaru Forester are among the vehicles receiving Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ awards for applicable model years.

Midsize SUVs: Several models, including the Ford Explorer, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Telluride, Mazda CX-90, Nissan Pathfinder, and Volkswagen Atlas, have received Top Safety Pick+ designations for applicable model years and configurations.

Large SUVs: The Audi Q7, Infiniti QX80, Nissan Armada, Rivian R1S, and Volvo EX90 appear among the current IIHS Top Safety Pick+ large SUV winners for applicable model years.

These awards should be viewed as a starting point rather than a guarantee that a particular vehicle will prevent injuries in every crash.

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Which Cars Are the Least Safe?

There is no responsible universal list of “least safe cars” based solely on a vehicle’s make or model.

A vehicle can perform well in one type of crash and less well in another. It may also have different safety equipment or ratings depending on its model year, trim level, or production date.

Instead of relying on a list of supposedly unsafe vehicles, buyers should look for vehicles with poor crash-test performance, lower NHTSA ratings, missing or limited crash-avoidance technology, or known safety concerns.

NHTSA’s ratings can identify vehicles that perform poorly in its frontal, side, or rollover evaluations. NHTSA also places a warning symbol on a rating when it identifies a safety concern, such as structural failure or an unintended performance problem involving a vehicle component. Importantly, NHTSA says a vehicle can have a high star rating and still have a separate safety concern.

This is why checking the specific model year and NHTSA’s recall and safety information is important before buying a vehicle.

Does Vehicle Size Affect Crash Safety?

Yes. Vehicle size and weight can affect the forces experienced during a collision.

According to IIHS research, larger, heavier vehicles generally provide greater protection to their occupants than smaller, lighter vehicles, assuming other characteristics are comparable. The additional structure and longer front ends of larger vehicles can provide more space to absorb crash energy before it reaches the occupant compartment.

That does not mean that every large SUV or pickup is safer than every smaller vehicle. Crashworthiness varies significantly between models.

IIHS also points out that smaller vehicles remain at a disadvantage when they collide with substantially heavier vehicles. At the same time, modern vehicle design has reduced some of the compatibility problems that historically made larger SUVs and pickups more dangerous to people in smaller cars.

Vehicle size, therefore, should be considered alongside crash-test performance rather than treated as the only measure of safety.

What Safety Features Should You Look For?

Crash protection is only one part of vehicle safety. Modern vehicles may also include technologies designed to help prevent crashes or reduce their severity.

Depending on the vehicle, useful features can include:

• Automatic emergency braking
• Forward collision warning
• Lane departure or lane-keeping assistance
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Rearview cameras
• Pedestrian detection
• Adaptive cruise control

NHTSA evaluates or provides information about certain advanced driver-assistance technologies as part of its broader vehicle safety program.

However, these technologies should not be treated as substitutes for attentive driving. NHTSA also distinguishes crash-avoidance technology from its star crash-safety ratings; driver-assistance features do not add extra stars to a vehicle’s crash-test rating.

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How to Compare Cars Before You Buy

Before purchasing a new or used vehicle, take several steps rather than relying on advertising claims.

Check the NHTSA rating. Look up the exact make, model, model year, and configuration using NHTSA’s vehicle safety-rating tools.

Check IIHS results. Look for the vehicle’s crashworthiness ratings, crash-prevention performance, and whether it earned a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award.

Check recalls. A vehicle’s safety history matters even if it received strong crash-test ratings.

Consider vehicle size and weight. Compare vehicles in the same general class and consider how size and weight may affect protection in a collision.

Look at the actual equipment. Safety technology can vary by trim, package, model year, and production date.

Consider the type of driving you do. A vehicle used primarily for highway commuting may present different safety considerations than one used frequently in urban traffic, in winter conditions, or on rural roads.

What Happens If You Are Injured in a Crash?

Even a vehicle with excellent safety ratings cannot eliminate the possibility of serious injuries.

If you are injured in a Vermont or New Hampshire car accident, the circumstances of the collision generally matter more to a personal injury claim than the safety rating of the vehicle you were driving.

Evidence may include the police report, photographs, witness statements, medical records, vehicle damage, traffic camera footage, and other information that shows how the collision occurred and what injuries resulted.

In some cases, a vehicle defect or malfunction may also raise separate legal questions. Determining whether another driver, a vehicle manufacturer, or another party may be legally responsible requires an examination of the specific facts.

Sabbeth Law represents people injured in motor vehicle accidents in Vermont and New Hampshire. If you have been seriously injured, an attorney can help evaluate the circumstances and identify potential sources of compensation.

Why Vehicle Safety Matters After an Accident

Vehicle safety ratings are useful before a crash, but they can also become relevant afterward.

If a crash causes serious injuries, understanding how the vehicle performed and whether a safety defect or equipment failure contributed may be important. However, the fact that a vehicle received a lower safety rating does not automatically establish that the vehicle manufacturer or another party is legally liable for an accident.

Liability depends on the facts and applicable law.

If you were injured because another driver failed to use reasonable care, violated traffic laws, or otherwise caused the collision, you may have a personal injury claim regardless of the safety rating of your vehicle.

When to Speak With a Vermont or New Hampshire Car Accident Lawyer

If you have been injured in a car accident, especially one involving serious or permanent injuries, it can be helpful to understand your legal options before accepting an insurance settlement or making statements about the accident.

Sabbeth Law serves clients in Vermont and New Hampshire and handles personal injury matters involving motor vehicle accidents. We can review the circumstances of your crash, the available evidence, and the losses you have incurred.

Contact Sabbeth Law to discuss your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Vehicle Safety

What is the safest car to drive?

There is no single vehicle that can accurately be called the safest car for every driver and every crash scenario. NHTSA and IIHS ratings provide useful comparisons, while vehicle size, weight, crashworthiness, safety technology, and the specific model year should also be considered.

What are the least safe cars?

There is no authoritative universal list of the least safe cars. Consumers should instead look at the specific vehicle’s NHTSA ratings, IIHS crash-test results, recalls, safety concerns, and available safety technology.

Are bigger cars safer than smaller cars?

Generally, larger and heavier vehicles provide greater protection to their occupants than smaller, lighter vehicles when other characteristics are comparable. However, crashworthiness varies by vehicle, so size should not be the only factor considered.

Is a five-star NHTSA rating enough to know whether a car is safe?

No. A five-star NHTSA rating is the highest rating in the program, but consumers should also review the individual crash-test results, IIHS evaluations, recalls, safety concerns, and available driver-assistance technologies. NHTSA itself notes that a vehicle can have a high star rating while also carrying a separate safety concern.

Does a car’s safety rating affect a personal injury claim?

A vehicle’s safety rating alone does not establish who caused a crash or determine whether you are entitled to compensation. A personal injury claim generally depends on issues such as negligence, causation, injuries, and damages. If a vehicle defect contributed to an injury, however, the vehicle’s design, equipment, recalls, and crash performance may become relevant to the investigation.

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