By Mashum Mollah
The crossover SUV has become the family conveyance of choice for most people looking to buy new or used vehicles in the USA. If you’ve recently read an Acura MDX review, you would have noticed how family-friendly the average mid-size crossover SUV has become and how many standard safety features are fitted.
SUVs are by definition family hold-alls and the safety features are arguably far more important than the luxury features. The Acura MDX in question is a 2021 winner of the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick+ award and this rating even applies to the base model of the range.
Vehicles receiving this award are among the safest on the road and if you are shopping for a mid-size SUV, you are spoilt for choice with all the models that meet this safety standard. We focus on mid-size SUVs because they are the perfect family vehicles with their increased ride height, multiple seating configurations, the availability of three-row models with seven seats.
If you’re shopping for one, put safety first. Here, we provide a useful guide for you to determine whether that SUV you’re considering is a safe bet or not.
Safety Standards In The US
In order to be eligible for the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick+ award, a car must meet these criteria:
- Attain the IIHS’s “Good” rating in all four crash tests conducted
- Attain a “Good” rating for the roof-strength and head restraint tests
- Attain an “Advanced” or “Superior” rating for its crash-prevention technology
- Attain an “Acceptable” or “Good” rating for its headlights
Here are the mid-size SUVs that received a Top Safety Pick+ award in 2021:
- Acura MDX
- Cadillac XT6
- Ford Explorer
- Genesis GV80
- Hyundai Palisade
- Mazda CX-9
- Mercedes-Benz GLE
- Nissan Murano
- Subaru Ascent
- Toyota Highlander
- Volvo XC90
Your SUV-Buying Safety Checklist
Keep these safety criteria in mind when shopping for a new or used SUV:
Crash-test rating:
Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ vehicles are not the only safe vehicles. In terms of the IIHS’s testing criteria, a vehicle without either, but which has scored “Good” in all its crash tests is still quite safe. The NHTSA also tests many vehicles and it has a star-rating system, with five stars being awarded to the safest cars. We recommend settling for no fewer than four stars when using the NHTSA’s testing criteria. You can look up any model’s score on both testing bodies’ websites.
The number of airbags:
In addition to the crash-test ratings, the more numerous the airbags, the better the protection. As a bare minimum, we recommend front, front-side, and curtain airbags for an SUV. Be sure to check that the curtain airbags extend all the way back to the third row if so equipped to protect passengers in the back seat of seven-seater SUVs. Rear-side airbags are a bonus, as are front knee airbags.
Driver-assistance features:
Basic driver-assistance features on even cheap cars nowadays include the ones required by law, which are ABS brakes, stability control, and a backup camera. Additional driver-assistance features standard on many new cars usually cost extra in the budget class and may include forward-collision warning, automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and assistance, adaptive headlights, and blind-spot monitoring and assistance features. The more of these features are fitted as standard, the better.
The age of the vehicle:
If there is one reliable rule to remember, it’s that newer vehicles are safer, and the older a vehicle is, the worse its crash ratings will be and the fewer safety systems will be fitted. Don’t be deceived into thinking old ’80s and ’90s cars are safe because they’re not. Age is a definite determinant of vehicle safety. Buy as new as you can if you buy used.
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Safety On A Budget
The budget does not always stretch to a new car, or you might be looking for something cheap for your teen going off to college. The latest safety technology might not always be within reach, but you can still buy the best available for how much you are willing to pay.
Consumer Reports and the NHTSA compiled a list of safe older vehicles and while they might not offer the protection of new cars, they are the best at their respective price points. We are still sticking with SUVs as the family vehicles focused on in this article. However, we are also including compact crossovers to broaden your scope.
In terms of decent used-SUV safety on a budget, these are your best options:
Below $10,000:
The pickings are slim and the only SUV offering acceptable safety is the Mazda CX-5 compact crossover, particularly models built after October 2013.
Between $10,000 and $15,000:
- 2014, 2016-2018, and 2020 Nissan Rogue
- 2016 or newer Subaru Forester
- 2015 or newer Honda CR-V
- 2017, 2018, and 2020 Kia Sportage
- 2015 or newer Toyota RAV4
- 2017 and 2019 Chevrolet Equinox
- 2015 or newer Nissan Murano
Between $15,000 and $20,000:
- 2017 or newer Honda HR-V
- 2018 or newer Hyundai Kona, 2018 or newer Tucson or 2017 to 2019 Santa Fe
- 2018 and 2019 Buick Encore
- 2019 or newer Mazda CX3 or 2017 or newer CX-9
- 2017 Volvo XC60
- 2017 and 2019 GMC Terrain
- 2015, 2016, and 2018 or newer Lexus NX
- 2017 and 2018 Kia Sorento
- 2018 or newer Ford Edge
- 2016 to 2019 Audi Q5
Conclusion
You cannot afford to compromise on safety when your loved ones are with you. This handy guide will help you pick out the SUVs with the best safety for your family. Even if you buy used, good safety can be assured, and although older cars are more unsafe in comparison to newer ones, many of the 2014+ used models currently available offer decent safety levels, as you can see above. Remember, buying an SUV is not only about towing ability, cargo space, engine performance, and fuel economy. Safety features are even more important, so buy with care.
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