These days, it’s possible to find in most new cars vehicle-safety features that just a few years ago would have been considered premium add-on options for luxury vehicles. Even modestly-priced cars come with these new technologies, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning systems or automatic emergency braking. Such features can save lives, reduce injury, and help avoid expensive collision repairs and insurance claims.
Though cars and roads are gradually becoming safer over time, an average of around 32,000 fatal passenger-car collisions occurred annually in the U.S. from 2010 to 2019, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, excluding crashes that caused survivable injuries and property damage. In 2020, lighter traffic as a result of COVID-19 restrictions emboldened reckless driving habits, causing fatal crashes to jump to 38,680.
Though the safest vehicles tend to be luxury sedans and SUVs that offer the most safety features, there are also more affordable options that have received high marks for safety in the 2021 model year. (Here are the longest lasting cars on the road.)
To determine the safest new cars for 2021, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s 2021 Top Safety Picks. IIHS assessed the crashworthiness, crash prevention technology, and headlights of vehicles from the most recent model year. Only nameplates that sold over 5,000 units in 2020 were considered. Vehicle sales data came from GoodCarBadCar. Cars are listed in alphabetical order.
The IIHS divided the Top Safety Pick+ award winners by car size. Among them were a few small cars, such as the Mazda 3, and several midsize sedans, such as the Honda Accord. Many more SUVs, however, were among the top safety picks, including the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Hyundai Tucson small SUVs. Found out if these are the 25 least expensive cars to insure.
Click here to see the safest new cars for 2021
2022 Acura MDX
> Type: Midsize luxury SUVs
> 2020 sales: 47,816
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2021 Acura RDX
> Type: Midsize luxury SUVs
> 2020 sales: 52,785
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2021 Acura TLX
> Type: Midsize luxury cars
> 2020 sales: 21,785
2021 Audi A6
> Type: Large luxury cars
> 2020 sales: 10,536
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2021 Audi e-tron
> Type: Large SUVs
> 2020 sales: 47,324
2021 Audi Q5
> Type: Midsize luxury SUVs
> 2020 sales: 50,435
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2021 Cadillac XT6
> Type: Midsize luxury SUVs
> 2020 sales: 22,610
2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer
> Type: Small SUVs
> 2020 sales: 34,292
2021 Ford Bronco Sport
> Type: Small SUVs
> 2020 sales: 5,120
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2021 Ford Explorer
> Type: Midsize SUVs
> 2020 sales: 226,215
2021 Genesis G70
> Type: Large luxury cars
> 2020 sales: 9,436
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2021 Honda Accord
> Type: Midsize cars
> 2020 sales: 199,458
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2021 Honda Insight
> Type: Small car
> 2020 sales: 15,932
2021 Honda Odyssey
> Type: Minivans
> 2020 sales: 83,409
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2021 Hyundai Palisade
> Type: Midsize SUVs
> 2020 sales: 81,905
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe
> Type: Midsize SUVs
> 2020 sales: 101,513
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2022 Hyundai Tucson
> Type: Small SUVs
> 2020 sales: 123,657
2021 Kia K5
> Type: Midsize cars
> 2020 sales: 31,656
2022 Kia Stinger
> Type: Large cars
> 2020 sales: 12,556
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2021 Lexus ES 350
> Type: Midsize luxury cars
> 2020 sales: 43,292
2021 Lexus IS
> Type: Midsize luxury cars
> 2020 sales: 13,600
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2021 Lexus NX
> Type: Midsize luxury SUVs
> 2020 sales: 55,784
2021 Mazda 3
> Type: Small car
> 2020 sales: 30,352
2021 Mazda 6
> Type: Midsize cars
> 2020 sales: 16,204
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2021 Mazda CX-3
> Type: Small SUVs
> 2020 sales: 8,335
2021 Mazda CX-30
> Type: Small SUVs
> 2020 sales: 38,064
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2021 Mazda CX-5
> Type: Small SUVs
> 2020 sales: 146,420
2021 Mazda CX-9
> Type: Midsize SUVs
> 2020 sales: 27,638
2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
> Type: Midsize luxury cars
> 2020 sales: 25,119
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2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
> Type: Large luxury cars
> 2020 sales: 27,102
2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
> Type: Midsize luxury SUVs
> 2020 sales: 48,153
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2022 Mitsubishi Outlander
> Type: Small SUVs
> 2020 sales: 27,133
2021 Nissan Altima
> Type: Midsize cars
> 2020 sales: 137,988
2021 Nissan Maxima
> Type: Midsize cars
> 2020 sales: 18,141
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2021 Nissan Murano
> Type: Midsize SUVs
> 2020 sales: 58,256
2021 Nissan Rogue
> Type: Small SUVs
> 2020 sales: 227,936
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2021 Subaru Ascent
> Type: Midsize SUVs
> 2020 sales: 67,623
2021 Subaru Crosstrek
> Type: Small car
> 2020 sales: 119,716
2021 Subaru Forester
> Type: Small SUVs
> 2020 sales: 176,996
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2021 Subaru Legacy
> Type: Midsize cars
> 2020 sales: 27,240
2021 Subaru Outback
> Type: Midsize cars
> 2020 sales: 153,290
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2021 Tesla Model 3
> Type: Midsize luxury cars
> 2020 sales: 206,500
2021 Toyota Camry
> Type: Midsize cars
> 2020 sales: 294,348
2021 Toyota Highlander
> Type: Midsize SUVs
> 2020 sales: 212,276
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2021 Volvo S60
> Type: Midsize luxury cars
> 2020 sales: 11,946
2021 Volvo XC40
> Type: Small SUVs
> 2020 sales: 23,778
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2021 Volvo XC60
> Type: Midsize luxury SUVs
> 2020 sales: 32,078
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2021 Volvo XC90
> Type: Midsize luxury SUVs
> 2020 sales: 34,251
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