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 RydeShopper 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 |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar No-Haggle, CarsDirect, and NADAGuides are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
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 2021
- Best 0% Finance Deals September 2021 Sep 16, 2021
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Sep 16, 2021
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Sep 16, 2021
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Sep 16, 2021
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Sep 09, 2021
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Sep 09, 2021
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Sep 09, 2021
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Sep 09, 2021
- Best & Worst New Cars to Buy Now Sep 02, 2021
- The Best Labor Day 2021 Car Deals Sep 02, 2021
- Real Prices of Small Luxury SUVs Sep 02, 2021
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Sep 02, 2021
August 2021
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Aug 26, 2021
- Best Car Deals by Category Aug 26, 2021
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Aug 26, 2021
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Aug 19, 2021
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Aug 19, 2021
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Aug 19, 2021
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Aug 19, 2021
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Aug 12, 2021
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Aug 12, 2021
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Aug 05, 2021
July 2021
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Jul 22, 2021
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Jul 08, 2021
- Best Car Deals for 4th of July 2021 Jul 01, 2021
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!