No one wants to think about having an accident, but sadly they do happen; and they can happen to even the most careful driver, so it pays to give some consideration to how safe your car is.
Car safety features fall into two main areas: active safety measures that help you to avoid having an accident in the first place, and passive safety equipment that protects you if you do.
There is no need to change your car in the name of better protection, but when you are ready to buy a new model you might like to consider one of these, as each are among the safest cars on sale today.
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The safest car
Volvo has the stated aim that no one will be killed or seriously injured in any of its new cars from 2020, and the all-new XC90 brings a seemingly unachievable aim one step closer.
The XC90 is stuffed to the gunnels with passive and active safety equipment, and draws particular praise for its innovative pedestrian and cyclist recognition system, plus autonomous braking, and rear collision alert. This is, quite simply, the safest car for you and your family.
Euro NCAP scores:
Adult occupant = 97%
Child occupant = 87%
Pedestrian = 72%
Safety assist = 100%
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A car packed with safety features
The Honda Jazz is remarkable for the range of safety equipment fitted to what is a relatively cheap, mass-market car.
Autonomous Emergency Braking is standard across the whole range, which starts at just £14,000.
Euro NCAP scores:
Adult occupant = 93%
Child occupant = 85%
Pedestrian = 73%
Safety assist = 71%
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The safest family car
The Toyota Avensis is a family-sized car that doesn’t stint on its safety equipment, going above-and-beyond the basic requirements demanded by legislation, with an especially impressive score for side-impact protection.
Euro NCAP scores:
Adult occupant = 93%
Child occupant = 85%
Pedestrian = 78%
Safety assist = 81%
The safest sports car
The Mazda MX-5 is a stripped-down, back-to-basics two-seater that delivers maximum thrills per mile as well as class-leading safety.
Your old MGB might have offered all the impact protection of a damp cardboard shoebox, but the all-new MX-5 gives all the excitement of a classic sports car with none of the risks.
Euro NCAP scores:
Adult occupant = 84%
Child occupant = 80%
Pedestrian = 93%
Safety assist = 64%
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The safest MPV
Volkswagen’s mini-MPV the VW Touran scored well in all the key areas, providing excellent protection for up to seven people in a reasonably priced car.
Dodgy diesel emissions aside, this is a safe family car you can put your faith in.
Euro NCAP scores:
Adult occupant = 88%
Child occupant = 89%
Pedestrian = 71%
Safety assist = 76%
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The safest saloon
The all-new Jaguar XE is probably the nicest four-door executive saloon in its class to drive, so to find that it performs so well in an accident is a very welcome bonus.
Standard-fit autonomous braking helps boost its safety credentials, as does very good impact protection.
Euro NCAP scores:
Adult occupant = 92%
Child occupant = 82%
Pedestrian = 81%
Safety assist = 82%
*The Euro NCAP scores are based on a variety of tests that each vehicle is put through. The higher the score, the safer the car.
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