What are Safest Car Makes Sold in the US?

Determining the safest car make in the US is no easy task.  The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) is responsible for analyzing consumer and traffic data to determine the safety of vehicles sold in the United States. The NHTSA began testing vehicles in 1978, and continues to put all car makes sold in the United States through a rigorous testing program that results in a rating based on a five-star scale.

The NHTSA’s web site, safercar.gov, lists the administration's results in a huge database that is available to consumers.  And though the NHTSA’s testing and rating system began 30 years ago, their procedures and testing methods have steadily improved by taking advantage of modern technology.  Today's ratings are also based on the results of electronic stability control, antilock brakes and side impact protection -- features that were unknown when the agency first began testing car makes sold in the US.

According to the NHTSA’s published results, only two  new cars have received a “perfect” five-star rating for the 2008 year model: the Acura RL, and the Lincoln Town Car.  Both models received special mention because of superior side impact protection, front and side curtain airbags, and a variety of other advanced safety features.

The 2008 Acura’s five-star rating, in particular, surprised many consumers and automotive experts, who expected that high-priced models, such as Lexus or Mercedes would fare better in the NHTSA testing.  The 2008 Lincoln town car, however, was not a great surprise to top the list, as it has been consistently rated between four and five stars over the past decade. The town car is also a larger vehicle, which accounts for its high rating in the category which the NHTSA calls, "survivability.”

But several smaller car models also fared very well on the NHTSA’s most recent survey.  The 2008 Nissan Versa scored excellent marks for both its four and five door configurations.  The Chevrolet Aveo is another safe choice, as well the Kia Rondo and the Honda S2000. Overall, smaller vehicles tend to fare less well with the NHTSA’s testing procedures, so any vehicles scoring higher than four stars are considered very safe.

Among the mid and full-size car makes that scored the highest on this year's results, were the BMW 3 series, the Chevrolet Impala, the Nissan Altima, and the Lexus ES350, all of which scored 4 1/2 stars on the safety ratings.

Despite their imposing size, many SUVs scored poorly on this year's ratings.  A few standout models that earned high safety marks were the Acura MDX, the Honda CR-V (also voted one of America's favourite cars in 2007), and the Toyota Highlander, all of which are equipped with numerous safety features, including standard front passenger side airbags.

Is interesting to note that the American Insurance Institute has its own car safety ratings, and these often vary significantly from the official NHTSA list. For example, according to the AII’s safest car list for 2007, the top 10 safe car makes are (in order), the Acura RDX, that Audi A4, the Audi A6, the Honda CRV, the Honda Pilot, the Hyundai Entourage, the Kia Sedona, the Mercedes-Benz M class, the Saab 9-3, and the Subaru B9 Tribeca.

But whether you agree with the official NHTSA ratings or the American Insurance Institute ratings, it is clear that cars are becoming safer, and advancements such as side passenger airbags are raising the bar for all car makes sold in the US.