The number of road accidents that occur every year is alarming. While it’s not possible to completely eliminate the risk of road accidents, driving a safe car can help you avoid an accident, or at least reduce the chances of you being seriously injured, through a range of active features to assist you if you lose concentration on the road for any reason.
For instance, features like anti-locking braking systems, electronic stability control, crumple zones, blind-spot monitoring and shatter-proof glass can prevent several mishaps and even reduce the impact of a crash on the occupants of the car.
Some cars are also fitted with additional features to provide a high level of protection for child occupants – a priority for parents and young couples planning a family.
But how do you go about finding the safest car to buy? Apart from reviewing the safety features available in various cars, it’s advisable to check the ANCAP safety rating for a car. Typically, the higher the ANCAP rating the safer the car.
Disclaimer
This article is over two years old, last updated on July 4, 2022. While RateCity makes best efforts to update every important article regularly, the information in this piece may not be as relevant as it once was. Alternatively, please consider checking recent car insurance articles.
ANCAP stands for the Australasian New Car Assessment Program. It uses extensive testing to rate cars from one to five stars for safety. According to ANCAP’s rating system, vehicles with a five-star rating are the safest to drive. You can trust these vehicles to be structurally strong with the latest safety features and reliable safety assist technologies.
If you are in the market for a new car, you’ll find most new car models have four- or five-star ratings. However, there’s a lot of difference between each grade and a five-star rated vehicle is much safer than one that is rated four. ANCAP is also known to enhance its testing criteria each year, which means a five-star rated car with a recent timestamp is your safest bet.
The safest car on the market in Australia
| Large SUVs | |
| Toyota Landcruiser (tested in 2022) | All variants except GR Sport – Oct 2021 onwards |
| Subaru Outback | All variants – March 2021 onwards |
| Toyota Kluger/Highlander | All variants – June 2021 onwards |
| Genesis GV80 | AWD 2.5 litre petrol & 3.0 litre diesel variants only – Dec 2020 onwards |
| Medium SUVs | |
| Mitsubishi Outlander (tested in 2022) | All 2.5 litre petrol variants – Oct 2021 onwards |
| BMW iX | All variants – November 2021 onwards |
| Genesis GV70 | All variants except 3.5 litre petrol – June 2021 onwards |
| Hyundai Tucson | All variants – May 2021 onwards |
| Hyundai Ioniq | All Ioniq 5 variants – September 2021 onwards |
| Small SUVs | |
| Toyota Yaris Cross | All variants – November 2020 onwards |
| Cupra Formentor | New Zealand variants – June 2021 onwards |
| Large cars | |
| Toyota Mirai | All variants – April 2021 onwards |
| Genesis G80 | 2.2 litre diesel & 2.5 litre petrol variants only – December 2020 onwards |
| Medium cars | |
| There is no vehicle in this category tested in 2021-22 yet with a five star ANCAP rating. |
| Small cars | |
| Citroen C4 | All variants – October 2021 onwards |
| Safest electric cars | |
| BMW iX | All variants – November 2021 onwards |
| Hyundai Ioniq | All IONIQ 5 variants – September 2021 onwards |
| Toyota Mirai | All variants – April 2021 onwards |
| Safest car for kids (Child occupant protection) | |
| Mitsubishi Outlander (tested in 2022) | All 2.5 litre petrol variants – Oct 2021 onwards |
The safety rating of a vehicle is an essential consideration when purchasing a car. However, even the safest of cars have been involved in accidents. Having car insurance in place could help you cover some of the repair costs if you find yourself involved in an accident.
The minimum insurance you are required to purchase is a compulsory third party (CTP) insurance policy. This type of policy covers injuries to other people involved in a road accident if you are at fault. However, for greater protection, you could up your cover with a comprehensive car insurance policy that covers injuries and damages to both you and other parties involved in an accident.
Keep in mind that, comprehensive car insurance policies are generally expensive compared to other types of car insurance policies and it could be worth comparing offers from multiple insurers to find yourself a competitive deal.
This article was reviewed by Alex Ritchie before it was published as part of RateCity's Fact Check process.
