If you’re buying a car for commuting, family trips, or just as a weekend toy, safety is always a top priority. Vehicle safety has come a long way since the first automobiles, and an entire industry has risen from the safety requirements that surround vehicle production.
From the creation of the three-point seatbelt by Volvo engineers – who then opened the patent for all manufacturers to use, free of charge – to modern day automatic emergency braking, consumer safety is an important factor when designing or upgrading a vehicle.
So, if you’re looking for a new or used car, you’re going to have to consider how well it holds up to the safety standards of its competitors. After some research from data gathered by both the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) and the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) we put together a list of 5 of the safest cars from 2019 so you can ride in style, and keep riding, if anything were to ever happen. All available here, on AutoBidMaster.
Honda Insight
The 2019 Honda Insight – only available as a hybrid – has a variety of safety features and was a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS (The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) this past year. Features include ABS, stability control, front, side, and overhead airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, and a security system that detects intrusion. It ranked “good” in every crash category conducted by the IIHS with the exception of one – ‘rear passenger pelvis/leg,’ for which it was ranked “acceptable.” That’s pretty good, as far as we’re concerned. You won’t be concerned, for that matter. See all available Honda Insights here.
Acura RDX
If you’re looking for something a little bit bigger, the 2019 Acura RDX might be the way to go. Safety features include: ABS, stability control, front, side overhead, and knee airbags, pretensioners, and a security system. While all IIHS Frontal Offset Crash Test Ratings were rated as “good” – one notch higher than a single category for the Honda Insight mentioned above – a few stars were knocked off for some NHTSA categories. These categories received four out of five stars: driver’s, overall front, overall rollover, and passenger’s. This is a still a phenomenal safety rating, as everything else received 5 stars. If you decide on the RDX, start here.
Toyota Avalon
The 2019 Toyota Avalon has the top safety features (like others on this list): ABS, stability control, front, side, overhead, and knee airbags, pretensioners, and a security system. The only real issue with the IIHS’ evaluation of the Avalon was low visibility for lowbeams on particular trims, and a rating of “acceptable” for the small overlap front: passenger-side category, which is a test when a crash occurs with 25% of the front end of a vehicle and an obstacle. The only NHTSA categories that weren’t 5 stars received 4 out of 5: driver’s, overall Rollover, and passenger’s. Again, top safety ratings overall, and the Avalon is available with a V-6 or a 4-cylinder hybrid engine. See our available Avalons right here.
Hyundai Sonata
The 2019 Hyundai Sonata received what equates to a standing ovation from the NHTSA with every category getting 5 stars, except overall rollover, which received 4 out of 5. It has all the same safety features as the previous cars on this list, so we won’t mention them again. IIHS ratings were a little bit lower than the others, it ranked “acceptable” in three categories: structure and safety cage, lower leg/foot, and restrains and dummy kinematics. Everything else was top-notch. The 2019 Sonata is available in a variety of trims, including a hybrid. We’ve got plenty of Sonatas up for auction.
Kia Optima
In addition to the safety features that every vehicle on this list has, the 2019 Kia Optima comes equipped with anti-whiplash head restraints. For the NHTSA ratings, it got 5 stars in every category except for passenger’s, in which it received 4. It didn’t have as spectacular results as some of the other cars on this list regarding IIHS ratings, ranking “acceptable” in the ease of use, lower leg/foot, and restrains and dummy kinematics categories. The IIHS also noted that the Optima’s low beam lights caused an excessive glare, and thus, they received a rating of ‘poor,’ in that category. Those issues aside, the 2019 Optima still ranked among the top safety picks for 2019 from IIHS. Available with 4 different engines – including hybrids – the Kia Optima is nonetheless an excellent choice for a safe vehicle. Take a look at all the Optimas.
No matter what you’re using a vehicle for, there are so many factors that are out of your control. That’s why safety features are so important, regardless of how good of a driver you are. The IIHS has been promoting safety since 1959, and the NHTSA was founded in 1970, so it’s safe to say that they know what they’re doing. These aren’t the only viable options to keep you safe, but they’re definitely some of the best.
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