Find the Best Car Deals Near You ⤵
The 13 Safest Cars for Your Money
December 27, 2012
Even before price, one of the more important decision factors when it comes to buying a vehicle is just how safe it is.
Forbes has recently listed what they consider the top 13 safest cars for your hard earned cash, using the moderately-priced and entry-level luxury vehicles that were "Top Safety Pick+" award winners by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The list includes the Acura TL, which earned top marks in all five crash tests condused by the IIHS, the Dodge Avenger, and both the Honda Accord Sedan and Coupe.
As always, I recommend you start with the to get the best deal on any of these vehicles.
13 Safest Cars for Your Money
| Vehicle | Why |
|---|---|
| Acura TL | Top marks in all 5 IIHS crash tests for 2013 |
| Chrysler 200 | “Good” score in moderate-overlap frontal, side, rear and roof-crush crash tests; “Acceptable” in new small-overlap frontal crash test. |
| Dodge Avenger | “Good” score in moderate-overlap frontal, side, rear and roof-crush crash tests; “Acceptable” in new small-overlap frontal crash test. |
| Ford Fusion | “Good” score in moderate-overlap frontal, side, rear and roof-crush crash tests; “Acceptable” in new small-overlap frontal crash test. |
| Honda Accord Sedan | Top marks in all 5 IIHS crash tests for 2013 |
| Honda Accord Coupe | Top marks in all 5 IIHS crash tests for 2013 |
| Kia Optima | “Good” score in moderate-overlap frontal, side, rear and roof-crush crash tests; “Acceptable” in new small-overlap frontal crash test. |
| Nissan Altima Sedan | “Good” score in moderate-overlap frontal, side, rear and roof-crush crash tests; “Acceptable” in new small-overlap frontal crash test. |
| Subaru Legacy | “Good” score in moderate-overlap frontal, side, rear and roof-crush crash tests; “Acceptable” in new small-overlap frontal crash test. |
| Subaru Outback | “Good” score in moderate-overlap frontal, side, rear and roof-crush crash tests; “Acceptable” in new small-overlap frontal crash test. |
| Suzuki Kizashi | “Good” score in moderate- and small-overlap frontal, side, and rear crash tests; “Acceptable” for roof-crush protection. |
| Volkswagen Passat | “Good” score in moderate-overlap frontal, side, rear and roof-crush crash tests; “Acceptable” in new small-overlap frontal crash test. |
| Volvo S60 | Top marks in all 5 IIHS crash tests for 2013 |
Signup for The Weekly Newsletter
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
September 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Sep 18, 2026
- All SUV Lease Deals Compared September 2026 Sep 18, 2026
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars September 2026 Sep 18, 2026
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Sep 18, 2026
- Best 0% Finance Deals September 2026 Sep 04, 2026
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Sep 04, 2026
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Sep 04, 2026
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Sep 04, 2026
August 2026
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Aug 28, 2026
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Aug 28, 2026
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Aug 28, 2026
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Aug 28, 2026
- Best Car Deals by Category Aug 21, 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Right Now Aug 21, 2026
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Aug 21, 2026
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Aug 21, 2026
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Aug 14, 2026
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Aug 06, 2026
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!



