The safest cars on sale today

Cars are scored on how well they protect both adult and child occupants in the event of a nasty accident, and what life-saving onboard tech they have. Here are the cars they currently rate at its maximum score of five stars:

Like the previous model, the 2022 NX boasts a five-star NCAP safety rating with a 91% adult occupant rating and an 87% child rating. The third-generation ‘Lexus Safety System+’ is fitted across all of the NX’s trim levels - it alerts the driver of any pedestrians ahead and includes adaptive cruise control which blocks the car from undertaking traffic, it will also use an array of cameras and radars to spot crossing traffic at junctions, helping prevent nasty accidents.

From 2002 onwards, the C-Class has been receiving a five-star NCAP safety rating and from 2022 onwards, cars feature an Active Bonnet that cushions pedestrians if they are knocked down. The ‘Distronic’ system automatically adapts the C-Class' speed by detecting what the cars are doing in front while the ‘Driving Assistance Plus Pack’ includes even more sensors that can sense collision danger and avoid it if required. The C-Class gave an adult occupancy score of 93% and an 89% child occupancy score.

The Born boasts a 93% adult occupancy safety rating and an 89% rating for child passenger protection. It’s equipped with a superfluity of safety devices as standard, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automated braking, road sign recognition and Driver Alert System. Like the cars it shares its underpinnings with, the Audi Q4 e-tron, Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4 and the Skoda Enyaq iV, it also has a five-star NCAP safety rating.

Volvo has always had safety in mind and with the XC40 the company focused on safety tech such as automatic emergency braking which spots pedestrians and large animals, as well as a system that detects if you’re straying outside your lane into oncoming traffic and will automatically pull the car back. It scored 97% for adult occupant safety and 87% for child protection, with a five-star NCAP safety rating.

Along with Forward Collision Avoidance Assist which senses traffic in front, the EV6 gets intelligent cruise control that automatically reduces speed for corners and a reverse camera. If buyers opt for the GT-Line, they’ll receive blind-spot warnings, semi-autonomous parking which also helps avoid collisions while parking, motorway driving assist and a head-up display. The EV6 scored five stars on the NCAP safety test with a 90% adult occupancy protection score and an 87% child occupant score.

Euro NCAP tested the eHybrid plug-in variant of the Multivan and it was awarded one of the most impressive five-star ratings that an MPV had to date. Onboard safety tech includes automatic emergency braking which intervenes in the case of a driver taking too long to brake if something steps out in front, speed and road sign recognition and lane-keep assistance. 

Buyers who opt for the ‘Style’ option receive blind-spot indicators and rear cross-traffic alerts which warn you if a car crosses your path when reversing out of a parking space. The Multivan was awarded a 90% adult occupancy protection rating and an 89% child protection score.

Since 2009, the Volkswagen Polo has been receiving a five-star safety rating. From 2022, every Polo comes with autonomous emergency braking which works at lower town speeds and detects pedestrians, has blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert scanning. If buyers opt for a top-spec model, they’ll get adaptive cruise control which matches your speed to the car in front and cars with the DSG option ticked will get the ‘Stop & Go’ function which helps keep pace with low-moving traffic with minimal driver input. NCAP awarded the Polo with a 94% adult occupancy rating and an 80% child safety rating.

Crash tested by NCAP in early 2022, the Tiago scored a five-star safety rating and performed strongly in both adult (94%) and child safety (84%). Like other new Volkswagens, the Tiago is offered with autonomous emergency braking which functions up to 130mph, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping functionality and a traffic jam assist feature as standard.

Jeep claim that the new 2023 Grand Cherokee has over 110 standard safety features such as a 360-surround camera, junction collision assist which alerts the driver of possible oncoming vehicles, drowsy driver detection which monitors steering wheel movement and lane positioning, traffic sign recognition and automatic emergency braking which detects pedestrians. The 2022 Grand Cherokee scored a five-star NCAP safety rating with an 84% adult occupancy score and an 89% child safety score.

Like the previous Discovery Sport, the 2022 model scored a five-star NCAP rating and has an 84% adult passenger score and an 89% child occupant score. Land Rover offer a plethora of standard safety features such as nine airbags, two ISOFIX points in the middle seat, an electronic stability programme, automatic collision avoidance and anti-lock brakes. The Discovery Sport will also provide reassurance in more challenging weather thanks to its all-weather tyres, four-wheel drive and Terrain Response system.

Like the previously mentioned NX, the RX features the same suite of Lexus Safety + technology which gives automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and motorcycle detection, alongside junction support, adaptive cruise control and lane departure alerts. An Advanced Park feature will provide assistance when parallel parking or reversing out of a space. The new RX was awarded a five-star safety rating with an adult occupancy score of 90% and a child safety score of 87%.

The new MG4 scored five stars in NCAP’s recent crash test while demonstrating an 83% adult and 80% child safety score. Its sibling, the MG ZS EV tested in 2019, secured an even higher score of 90% for adult safety and 85% for child protection. All MG4s feature six airbags, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and active emergency braking which has both pedestrian and bicycle detection. Buyers who upgrade to the Trophy Long Range receive blind spot detection and rear cross-traffic alerts.

Since 2013, the Octavia has been receiving a five-star safety rating while pre-2009 cars had a four-star rating. 2022 cars all get front assist which detects the vehicle in front and adjusts its speed accordingly, lane assist which alerts the driver if they stray from their lane and rear parking sensors. Additional options include Crew Protect Assist which senses when a crash is imminent and closes the windows and sunroof. The adult occupancy safety score comes in at 89% whereas the child score is 84%.

The Ioniq 6 features autonomous breaking and has Hyundai’s new ‘SmartSense’ driving aids, including Highway Driving Assist 2. This helps to keep a safe distance from the car in front and will allow it to adjust its position if a car gets too close. In permitted countries, the Ioniq 6 will change lanes automatically when the driver taps the indicator stalk. It scored a five-star NCAP rating with an excellent adult occupancy score of 97% and a child passenger safety score of 87%. Due to its sloping nose, the Ioniq 6 only scored a 66% vulnerable road user score.

As standard, the new Sportage gets excellent safety equipment such as front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, rear-view camera, Forward Collision-Avoidance which detects cars, pedestrians and cyclists, and Lane Following Assist which tracks the vehicle in front and identifies emptier spaces in other lanes to move to. Like other Kias, buyers who opt for the GT-Line and S trims will benefit from blind-spot monitoring, Highway Driving Assist, Parking Collision Avoidance Assist and Remote Smart Parking Assist. The Sportage gets five stars from NCAP, gives an 87% adult safety score and an 86% child safety score.

While the 2014 Model S received a five-star NCAP safety rating, the adult occupancy score was 82%, the child occupant score was 77%, and the pedestrian score was a bit lower at 66%. For the 2022 model, Tesla updated the Model S to take on NCAP’s more stringent testing, resulting in a score of 91% for child occupant protection and 94% for adult protection. The Model S comes with Automatic Airbag Suppression which detects the difference between adult and child seats, and multi-collision braking which activates the brakes to avoid a secondary impact and collision.

The smaller 2 Series Active Tourer managed to secure a five-star NCAP safety rating and was praised for its excellent 85% child occupant protection score and 84% adult occupant protection score. As standard, cars come with an array of airbags, including full curtain ones, whereas optional extras include a Driving Assistant function which features city braking, lane departure warning and Forward Collision Warning. This uses sensors to apply the brakes automatically if the driver fails to respond to a possible collision.

Like the C-Class, the EQE has traffic sign recognition, a fingerprint scanner to keep any personal documentation secure and an emergency calling system as standard. Those who opt for the AMG Line Premium models will get the Driving Assistance Package which features blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance and automated braking up to 80mph if it clocks a hazard that you’ve not noticed. 

The Plus package offers evasive steering and a semi-autonomous driving feature that automatically slows the car for corners. EQEs are five-star NCAP rated and give a 95% adult occupancy safety score and a 91% child safety score.

Genesis is Hyundai’s luxury division and its first all-electric car, the GV60, offers eight airbags, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic assist and an important automatic emergency braking system as standard. Buyers also have the option to swap out the conventional mirrors for camera systems that are mated to OLED monitors in the doors. The GV60 was awarded a five-star NCAP rating while the adult occupant safety score was 89% and the child occupant score was 87%.

As the other Kias on our list, the Niro benefits from all the usual safety features such as lane keep assist which alerts the driver when they stray into another lane, lane follow assist which uses cameras to track the vehicle in front and brake or accelerate accordingly, rear cross-traffic collision warnings for reversing aid and blind-spot collision warning. The Niro was awarded a 91% adult occupancy score, an 84% child safety score and a five-star NCAP rating.

The Polestar 2 uses three radar units, five cameras and twelve sensors to monitor its environment. The onboard computer then processes the information collected and susses out any dangers to help prevent collisions. Underneath the front plastic grille is Polestar’s SmartZone technology which uses a heated radar to detect other road users and potentially troublesome situations.

Run-Off Road Mitigation helps to steer the car back into its lane, if it were to stray between speeds of 40 and 87mph. NCAP awarded the Polestar 2 with a five-star rating, a 93% adult occupancy safety score and an 89% child occupant safety score.

Lucid Motors strategically positioned the battery pack to not only improve handling but to also prevent any off-balance that could lead to an accident. The Air’s frame is made up of bonded aluminium which gives excellent structural rigidity and the cabin is surround by nine airbags and features laminated windows to stop shattering. It was awarded five stars from NCAP and it boasts a 90% adult occupancy safety rating and a 91% child occupancy rating.

The Funkycat walked away with Euro NCAP’s best small family car for 2022 award after its high adult (92%) and child (83%) occupancy safety scores. It targets the likes of the Renault Zoe and Peugeot e-208 and features an impressive standard safety kit with traffic-sign recognition and a driver monitoring system. Overall, the Funkycat received five stars from NCAP.

Skoda’s all-electric Enyaq shares the same MEB platform as the Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4. Safety has been reassured after it scored occupancy ratings of 94% for an adult and 89% for a child while being awarded a five-star rating. Cars are equipped as standard with front, side and curtain airbags, meanwhile lane assist, autonomous emergency braking and ISOFIX child-seat mounting points are available for the front and rear passenger seats, minus the middle seat.

ProPILOT Assist and Navi-Link technology help the new Qashqui to remain in its lane and at a safe distance from the vehicle in front. It uses TomTom maps to pre-empt bends and junctions while a head-up display gives map information and current speed. Cars also come equipped with intelligent emergency braking which applies the brake at low speeds if a pedestrian or cyclist is spotted, alongside rear automatic braking and a central airbag that can deploy between the driver and passenger. It was awarded five stars from NCAP while the occupancy ratings were 91% for both an adult and child.

Over the years, various Smarts have been tested with the fortwo and forfour getting a four-star NCAP rating. The Smart #1 is the first smart to receive a five-star rating, a 96% adult occupancy score and an 89% child occupant score. Although it’s small, the Smart #1 was designed using 74% high strength steel and 19% press-hardened steel alongside battery safety tech such as heat insulation of battery modules and battery protection. Cars come equipped with intelligent driving systems such as Front Collision Mitigation, lane assist and Automatic Emergency Braking.

BMW equips every 3 Series with Electronic Stability Control, automatic emergency braking and a total of eight airbags which include dual-stage front airbags, front knee airbags and front/rear head airbags. Cars also have a rearview camera, accident-detection system and frontal collision warning system while Active Cruise Control and the lane-keeping assistant are a £2000 extra. Cars from 2019 have a five-star NCAP rating and are praised for their 97% adult occupancy and 87% child occupancy scores.

The Model Y received the Best-in-Class award in NCAP’s Small Off-Road category after its excellent performance in adult occupancy safety (97%) and child occupancy safety (87%). As standard, it gets semi-autonomous Autopilot which uses rear, side and front-facing cameras to help detect other cars and predict potential collisions. NCAP also awarded it five stars for safety.

With its adult occupancy score at 97% and child occupancy score at 91%, it’s not surprising that NCAP gave the Forester five stars. Frontal crash protection includes a selection of airbags, including a driver knee airbag and side airbags. There's no ISOFIX seat point in the passenger seat but there is on the rear seats. Cars come as standard with Autonomous Emergency Braking for pedestrians, cyclists and cars, alongside a speed assistance system and lane assist alert system.

It may look like the A1 offers just standard safety tech but it is actually packed with kit such as emergency braking and lane-keep assistance. Cars, however, aren’t available with blind-spot monitoring or traffic sign recognition. It shares the same platform as the Volkswagen Polo and was awarded 95% in its adult occupancy safety test and 85% for the child occupancy test with an overall NCAP score of five stars.