Safest Car Rankings for 2024
The safest used and new cars, trucks, SUVs and more are ranked based on our analysis of the crash tests and safety ratings from the U.S. government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Safest Car Rankings by Vehicle Type
Listed below are the Safest Cars in 16 vehicle categories, as ranked by iSeeCars' safety score. The safety score combines the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ratings with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rating, and then averages these ratings over the last five model years. The cars with the highest safety ratings represent models that provide the best occupant protection.
In instances where two or more vehicles have the same safety rating the vehicles are ranked by their iSeeCars Quality score, which represents the combination of a vehicle’s reliability, resale value and safety rating. You can see how cars are ranked by their quality score across these same 16 vehicle categories on our Best Cars pages.
We do provide each vehicle’s quality score, and the score’s sub-components (reliability, resale, safety), on these safety pages, but we use the safety score for ranking them here. If you’re interested in specific safety technology we’ve included the standard and optional safety features for each model, when available. Pricing information, fuel efficiency, and seating capacity are also included here.
Vehicle safety has improved substantially in recent years, aided by advanced technology that can help drivers slow down before a collision, maintain their position in a lane, and warn of vehicles in a blind spot. If you’re looking to narrow your car-buying choices by focusing on the safest vehicles, these ranked lists identify the top picks in every vehicle category, from the smallest compact cars to the largest luxury SUVs.
Safest Cars
Safest SUVs
Safest Trucks
Safest Hybrids
Safest Electrics
How We Rank These Cars
The iSeeCars “Safest Car” lists rank cars, trucks and SUVs based on our analysis of the crash tests and safety ratings from the U.S. government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Along with the Safety scores, the lists show additional iSeeCars scores because we believe other factors should be taken into account to find the best overall vehicle. If there is a tie in the Safety scores between vehicles, we use the overall iSeeCars Score to break the tie.
The overall iSeeCars Score is an analysis of three factors: reliability, resale value and safety. It is calculated based on the latest research and analysis by our data science team. The data analysis comes from over 12 million new and used vehicles in our Longest-Lasting Cars and 5-Year Depreciation Studies, combined with NHTSA and IIHS Safety Ratings.
Vehicles are scored in three categories:
Reliability
The reliability score represents an analysis of iSeeCars' proprietary research on the longest-lasting vehicles.
Value Retention
The value retention score is based on our data science team's statistical analysis and prediction of 5-year depreciation from MSRP to determine which cars hold their value best, using US Bureau of Labor Statistics data to adjust for inflation.
Safety
The safety score is calculated based on the last five years of crash test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and incorporates the latest Top Safety Pick information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
