Safety has become one of the biggest battlegrounds in the automotive industry, with automakers packing their vehicles full of advanced driver-assistance systems and crash-protection technology. However, not every brand delivers the same level of protection across its lineup, making brand-wide consistency just as important as the safety credentials of any single model.

According to Consumer Reports, a handful of automakers stand above the rest by combining strong crash-test performance, comprehensive standard safety equipment, and thoughtful vehicle design. From affordable mainstream brands to established luxury marques, these are the five manufacturers that currently offer some of the safest vehicles on the road.

5

Hyundai

Strong consistency across the brand

Hyundai has always been an affordable brand, but in the last couple of years they’ve really defined themselves as a good brand too. Across almost every segment they compete in, they undercut their rivals, while still delivering a high-quality driving experience and impressively upscale interior environs. Even more impressively, their cars come loaded with safety tech as standard.

In Consumer Reports’ study, cars can score Basic, Better, or Best when it comes to safety. Over half of the vehicles in Hyundai’s stable scored Best, while every other vehicle scored better. This means that regardless of which Hyundai you get into, you get peace of mind that it is among the safest vehicles on the road.

IIHS Safety Awards

• Top Safety Pick: Elantra
• Top Safety Pick+: Sonata, Ioniq 5, Kona, Tucson, Ioniq 9, Santa Fe, Palisade

4

Lincoln

The lone American at the top

While the Lincoln brand may not be what it once was, they still continue to deliver a bevy of really plush vehicles. Where their focus used to be on sedans, the brand now exclusively sells SUVs. There has been a lot of somewhat quiet improvement over at the brand over the last couple of years, and basically every vehicle in their lineup feels very competitive against other luxury SUVs, especially considering their lower price point.

Unfortunately, Lincoln is the only American automaker to crack the top ten on Consumer Reports’ list. Impressively, almost three quarters of their vehicles scored Best for safety. The remaining lot, however, only managed a score of Basic.

IIHS Safety Awards

• Top Safety Pick: Nautilus
• Top Safety Pick+: None

3

Acura

Honda’s luxury wing offers more standard safety tech

Acura often gets criticized for delivering spruced-up versions of mainstream Hondas. It’s a strange argument, and one that people don’t use when comparing the likes of Lexus and Toyota. Acura offers some of the most affordable luxury vehicles on the market, and while they may not come quite as well kitted as top players, they are generally much more affordable, both to buy and to own.

It isn’t all that surprising that Acura ranks so highly on Consumer Reports list, considering their mainstream counterpart narrowly misses being included in the top five. Acura simply builds on the already strong standard package offered in its mainstream counterpart. Around three quarters of their vehicles were awarded a score of Best, with the rest getting a Better.

IIHS Safety Awards

• Top Safety Pick: None
• Top Safety Pick+: None

2

Genesis

A continually rising star from Korea

Genesis is a fairly young brand, with it launching its first car back in 2015. In just over ten years, the Korean automaker has done quite a lot to disrupt the traditional luxury market. They undercut many of their core rivals, with some of their cars even being cheaper than alternatives from the likes of Lexus. Yet, despite being cheaper, their cars feel like some of the most innovative and refined vehicles on the road.

Genesis is a brand that is huge on technology, but they do it in a clever way. They include basically all of their safety features as standard on their vehicles, and their interiors are designed in a way where tech is the accent and not the focal point. Well over three quarters of their models were given the highest score possible.

IIHS Safety Awards

• Top Safety Pick: None
• Top Safety Pick+: G80, GV60, GV70, GV80

1

Mazda

A brand taking steps in all the right directions

Mazda has found a really comfortable spot for itself in the market. While they retain their mainstream pricing, they have managed to deliver a lineup of vehicles that feels impressively premium. Top trims of some models feel like direct competitors to luxury cars. They do all this while also keeping driving entertaining, with even their most affordable, mundane cars feeling fun behind the wheel. Another area where they clearly excel is safety.

Some tech-focused buyers criticize Mazda for certain things, such as their infotainment screens relying heavily on a rotary controller rather than touch inputs. However, it is exactly this traditional thinking that helps make their vehicles so safe. Not only do their cars come with a comprehensive standard safety suite, but they are also designed to keep your attention on the road without distractions.

IIHS Safety Awards

• Top Safety Pick: None
• Top Safety Pick+: Mazda3, CX-30, CX-50, CX-70, CX-90

Safety in vehicles is a combination of innovative technology and traditional design

One day, every car might come equipped with self-driving technology, and that might prove to be the safest way to move around. Today, however, is not that day. Automakers that impliment proven technology while still focusing on limiting distractions to the driver are the ones that come out ahead. Until cars can drive themselves, the driver will continue to be the most important factor in a car’s safety, and the automakers that understand that and use tech to support them rather than replace them are the ones that ranked highest on Consumer Reports’ list.