10 Of The Safest Cars On The Road Today

10 Of the Safest Cars On The Road Today

From gas mileage to cup holders, there are an infinite number of options to consider when it comes to purchasing a new vehicle. Arguably the most important among those choices is car safety. After all, you never know when you're going to get caught in the middle of a downpour with zero visibility or hit a patch of ice that sends your car off the road in the blink of an eye. Luckily, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has published its annual report of the safest 2015 and 2016 models available today. Analyzing a range of features including front, side and roof strength, the IIHS awards vehicles with either the "Top Safety Pick" or more prestigious "Top Safety Pick+" award. To earn the higher distinction, the vehicle must earn the Top Safety Pick award in addition to an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.

2016 Volkswagen Jetta

A Top Safety Pick+ winner, the 2016 Volkswagen Jetta saw a slight improvement in front crash prevention from last year's test, moving it to the "advanced" category. Equipped with front and rear head curtain airbags and front seat-mounted torso airbags, the car includes a rollover sensor that triggers airbags in the event of a potential rollover. Small overlap front crash tests demonstrated a low risk of any significant injuries to passengers in an accident of that variety, while side crash tests showed some risk of rib fractures.

2015 Toyota Camry

A Top Safety Pick+ pick in the "Midsize moderately priced" category, the 2015 Toyota Camry showed high scores across the safety board. The four-door sedan has come a long way in the past two years, moving from a "poor" rating for small front overlap tests in 2013 to an "acceptable" in 2014 and finally the top rank of "good" in 2015. The car comes with driver and front passenger knee airbags specially designed to minimize knee injuries in frontal crashes. The only category where the 2015 Camry fell short was "ease of use" when it comes to child car seat anchors. Here, the vehicle received an "acceptable" ranking.

2015 Chevrolet Spark

One of three vehicles ranked in the "Minicar" class, the subcompact 2015 Chevrolet Spark earned the standard Top Safety Pick. The car comes with side airbags, a rollover sensor and knee airbags. While the car was generally safe in the majority of tests, the crash dummy hit its head on the steering wheel through the airbag on a moderate overlap front test, indicating that head injuries may be possible in that type of accident. Compared to previous tests, the vehicle saw little improvement, with the small overlap diagnostic keeping a constant "acceptable" ranking since 2013.

2015 Chevrolet Malibu

A moderately priced midsize model from Chevrolet, the manufacturer brought the Malibu back to the market in 1997 and has been continually making improvements ever since. The 2015 version earned a Top Safety Pick and stayed fairly consistent with the same safety rankings it received last year. The car grabbed a "basic" score for front crash protection, but flourished in moderate and small overlap front crash tests where dummies were found to have a low risk of any injuries. 

2015 BMW 2 series

2015 Subaru Forester

One of the safest overall vehicles available this year, the 2015 Subaru Forester received glowing reviews in almost every single category. Considered a "small SUV" by the IIHS, the Forester earned the top rating for front crash prevention with a "superior." The test dummy was well protected in every crash test, maintaining the same high scores the vehicle received after its redesign in 2014. The car did fall short in terms of child seat anchors, earning only a "marginal" ranking. Tests showed that the anchors were too deep in the seat and difficult to maneuver around.

2015 Honda CR-V

Honda made several welcomed improvements to the 2015 edition of its popular CR-V model in order to meet safety standards. According to the IIHS, these include updates "to the front-end and occupant compartment structure and restraint system to improve occupant protection in small overlap frontal crashes." The changes were enough to bring the vehicle's small front overlap test from "marginal" in 2014 to top rank of "good" this year. The CR-V also received a "superior" ranking for its front crash prevention features, but tests still showed that lower leg injuries would be possible in some accidents.

2015 Mercedes M-Class

The 2015 Mercedes M-Class is among the safest Midsize Luxury SUVs out this year. The car was granted the "good" designation in almost every category and features one of the highest strength roofs in class. Small overlap front tests revealed some risk to passengers' lower legs and feet. Despite that risk, the SUV still earned a "superior" rating for front crash prevention. The IIHS did note that rear-seat torso airbags became optional on the car starting with 2014 models. 

2015 Honda Odyssey

The first Honda Odyssey minivan rolled off the lot in 1994, and this car has been a top seller ever since. The 2015 model takes home the Top Safety Pick award and sports a range of features including electronic stability control and a rollover sensor. The Japanese manufacturer's 2015 effort saw almost identical rankings to the 2014 model, receiving the basic rank for front crash prevention two years running. Like several of the larger vehicles ranked this year, the Odyssey had some issues in terms of child seat anchors, with the IIHS noting that they were difficult to locate.

2015 Ford F-150

Ford's 2015 F-150 is the only large pickup to be awarded the Top Safety Pick this year. The designation only applies to the "SuperCrew" models, but tests of these vehicles showed little risk of injury in the event of an accident. The 2015 model comes with an option for inflatable seat belts that can reduce the risk of chest injury by spreading force over a larger area than a standard seat belt. The 2015 F-150 SuperCrew's redesign improved all-around safety and earned the car a "basic" ranking for front crash prevention.