These Are the Safest Vehicles for Families this Year
The safest vehicles for families have the highest safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These vehicles come with features that enhance the comfort and safety of parents and kids while on the road, such as lane keep assist, forward collision warning, and automatic braking. Below are some of the safest family vehicles currently on the market.
Toyota Camry
This midsize family car scores highly in crash tests. The NHTSA awarded it a perfect five in its three crash tests. It also received the highest rating in the six crash test categories of the IIHS and a Superior rating for forward-collision avoidance.
The Camry offers a generous amount of driver assistance features in its base model, including:
- Lane keep assist
- Lane departure warning
- Pedestrian detection
- Automatic high beams
- Adaptive cruise control
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord has brilliant safety scores and is an excellent option for a family with one or two kids. It received the highest rating in all the six crash tests performed by the IIHS and a Superior rating for its front crash protection. It was also awarded a perfect five by the NHTSA.
The Accord is packed with standard safety features like traffic sign recognition, Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), a rearview camera, automatic emergency braking, and high-beam headlights.
Toyota RAV4
The Toyota RAV4 is a compact SUV that highly prioritizes safety. The NHTSA gave it a five-star rating, and it is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick. The Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 is standard on all RAV4 models and includes lane-tracing assistance, lane departure warning, a pre-collision system with cyclist and pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control.
KIA Telluride
When starting a family, one of the key decisions to be made is the number of children to have. Couples who intend to have a large family will love the KIA Telluride. It seats seven or eight people. This roomy SUV will continue serving as the family vehicle as children go through growth spurts. Small families with lots of gear will appreciate its cargo space.
The Telluride has excellent ratings from both IIHS and NHTSA. Many advanced driver-assist and safety features come as standard. It features collision avoidance with cyclist and pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, seven airbags, and Safe Exit Assist, which warns passengers of approaching bicycles or vehicles when they try opening a door.
Honda Odyssey
Minivans have been the stereotypical family vehicles. However, modern ones like the Honda Odyssey come with impressive features and styling that make them remarkably different from the older models. There is much that parents will love about the Honda Odyssey. Seats can move side to side or up and back in the second and third row. Siblings can sit side by side or slide away from each other to avoid conflicts.
The Honda Odyssey has excellent safety ratings. Its LATCH system for securing child car seats is one of the most versatile and easiest to use. The minivan’s CabinWatch and CabinTalk allow parents to view and talk to passengers on the second and third rows using a microphone.
All these top vehicles have impressive safety features that are standard on all their models. Additionally, higher trim levels have advanced features to reduce car accident risk further, such as blind spot monitoring, parking sensors, and surround-view monitors.