When in a position to buy a new car you need to make sure you include safety as one of your main points of consideration. Car safety software solutions combined with clever product design have seen quite a lot of improvement in the last two decades and you should definitely prioritize these when buying a new car.
Given the fact that there are many used car options available on the current market, it may be difficult to know which ones to look out for. In order to find out, be sure to read this article as it is never a good idea to skimp out on vital car safety features and solutions modern-day cars offer.
If you want a compact SUV that offers class-leading safety credentials, be sure to check out the 2016 Hyundai Tucson. If large SUVs are more of your cup of tea you ought to consider the 2016 Volvo XC90 because this Swede is highly regarded as one of the safest large cars on the second-hand market.
The 2016-2017 Honda Accord is a class leader as far as safe sedans are concerned while the 2016 Lexus ES350 is also a class leader when it comes to premium sedans. Finally, if you want a used large pick-up truck with superior safety credentials, be sure to check out the 2017 Honda Ridgeline.
2016 Hyundai Tucson – The 2016 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ compact SUV
New Hyundai models are known to offer a lot of value for the money and the 2016 Hyundai Tucson is no different. Considering the fact that it costs less than $20k while also offering lots of space, a reliable platform, and great efficiency, the Tucson is certainly worth taking a closer look at.
The Hyundai Tucson combines a safe platform designed to withstand a variety of different crashes no matter the situation. If you combine that with a myriad of advanced driver assistance systems it’s no wonder that the 2016 Tucson became one of the safest compact SUVs in the history of IIHS at the time of testing.
2016 Volvo XC90 – The 2016 IIHS Top Safety Pick + mid-size SUV
The 2016 Volvo XC90 is a great all-around SUV no matter how you look at it because it offers luxury, comfort, and safety at a well-deserved price. You can get one at the mid $20k to high $20k price bracket with all the safety bells and whistles which make it one of the safest mid-size SUVs in the last decade or so.
The Volvo also combines superior engineering paired with loads of advanced software safety features which make it the IIHS 2016 Top Safety Pick+ which is the highest grade a car can get in these testing. Besides being safe and well-priced, the XC90 also oozes sophistication both inside and out.
2016-2017 Honda Accord – The 2016 IIHS Top Safety Pick + mid-size sedan
Continuing the theme of industry-leading safety in both engineering and software departments, the 2016-2017 Honda Accord was also one of the highest-rated cars in the history of IIHS testing at the time because it combines modern-day technology with decades worth of crash testing and overall safety improvements.
You can also get one for well under $20k which makes this generation of the Accord the best buy for many different reasons. Besides being a superiorly safe sedan, the Accord is also one of the most reliable and efficient cars from its segment which means that you simply can’t go wrong with the Honda Accord.
2016 Lexus ES350 – The 2016 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ mid-size luxury sedan
Long gone are the days when you had to choose between reliability and luxury when buying a used premium car because the 2016 Lexus ES350 is both luxurious and reliable. However, the best thing about the Lexus ES350 is that it comes with loads of safety software solutions as well which makes it one of the highest-rated luxury cars from 2016.
You can get a great example in the mid $20k price category which makes the ES350 a worthy consideration for those who want a safe driving experience without sacrificing both reliability and luxury.
2017 Honda Ridgeline – The 2017 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ truck
To finish off the list of the safest and most technologically packed used cars on the market, we are going to take a look at the 2017 Honda Ridgeline pick-up truck. The Ridgeline also won the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ grade which makes it the safest pickup truck and the only truck that goes the Top Safety Pick+ grade at the time.
This is because the Ridgeline combines software safety solutions with a sophisticated platform that is both designed for comfort and safety. This is why many people believe that the Honda Ridgeline is the best all-around truck for that era.
FAQ Section
What does it mean when a car gets the Top Safety Pick+ IIHS rating?
The Top Safety Pick+ IIHS grade is only reserved for class-leading automobiles from a particular segment as far as safety is concerned. In order for a car to get this grade, it needs to combine both superior engineering safety solutions and superior software safety solutions.
This means that these cars are safe as modern cars get. Even though there are multiple Top Safety Pick+ grades given across multiple different cars in a single segment, they only make a handful of the available cars from a single segment.
Are software safety features worth it?
Most cars these days are offered with advanced software collision prevention and avoidance systems but they are mostly part of expensive additional packages. As such, it begs the question of how necessary these systems are as far as overall car safety is concerned.
All in all, these systems are indeed worth it because they add an additional layer of in-car safety that can not be had on cars without them.
What is the most important aspect of safe driving?
The most important aspect of a safe driving experience is a designated driver with his full attention centered on the road and the objects and people around him. This means that now even the most advanced systems on the market can prevent someone from having an accident if they are not paying close attention.
Besides the human factor, features such as airbags, seatbelts, and effective car crumple zones are still the most important aspects of a safe drive.
