Find the safest cars and vehicles and the most dangerous cars and vehicles
Last updated on: 22nd of May 2013 at 6:08 pm (EST)

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Provide a free, public service to guide consumers on the use of vehicle crash test and fatality data — to save lives.

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Informed For Life does not accept donations, funding, or advertisements, from any individual or organization.


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Choose your vehicle as though your life depends on it!

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The vehicles listed below have been identified as the safest of all

model-year 2013 vehicles per the following criteria:

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If your vehicle is not listed below click here to determine why it is not the safest choice

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Rated “Top Pick” by IIHS and “5-Star Overall” by NHTSA, i.e., Super-Stars. The testing protocols used by these agencies complement each other and they must both agree the vehicle has superior crashworthiness.

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and

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Each individual rating must be in the top quartile for frontal impact, side impact, rear impact and rollover. This filters out vehicles with individual crash modes that have above average risk.*

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and

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Size/weight-based projected fatality rates must be less than that of the average weight passenger car. This filters out vehicles with higher than average vehicle incompatibility risk, measured as Driver Fatality Factor > 1.0 .**

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updated 5/16/13

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The Safest*** Vehicles for 2013

   Safety Category    Model (Safety Order) Body Weight (lbs.) Driver Fatality Factor**
Safest 1% of all 2013 vehicles  Buick Enclave AWD SUV 4,857 0.29
Safest 1% of all 2013 vehicles  Buick Enclave FWD SUV 4,857 0.29
Safest 1% of all 2013 vehicles  Chevrolet Traverse AWD SUV 4,857 0.29
Safest 1% of all 2013 vehicles  Chevrolet Traverse FWD SUV 4,857 0.29
Safest 1% of all 2013 vehicles  GMC Acadia AWD SUV 4,857 0.29
Safest 1% of all 2013 vehicles  GMC Acadia Denali AWD SUV 4,857 0.29
Safest 1% of all 2013 vehicles  GMC Acadia Denali FWD SUV 4,857 0.29
Safest 1% of all 2013 vehicles  GMC Acadia FWD SUV 4,857 0.29
Safest 2% of all 2013 vehicles  Ford Explorer 4DR AWD SUV 4,765 0.31
Safest 2% of all 2013 vehicles  Ford Explorer 4DR FWD SUV 4,765 0.31
Safest 2% of all 2013 vehicles  Mercedes-Benz ML-Class 4WD SUV 4,698 0.32
Safest 2% of all 2013 vehicles  Mercedes-Benz ML-Class RWD SUV 4,698 0.32
Safest 2% of all 2013 vehicles  Cadillac SRX AWD SUV 4,513 0.36
Safest 2% of all 2013 vehicles  Cadillac SRX FWD SUV 4,513 0.36
Safest 3% of all 2013 vehicles  Lexus RX350 AWD SUV 4,392 0.38
Safest 3% of all 2013 vehicles  Lexus RX450h AWD SUV 4,392 0.38
Safest 3% of all 2013 vehicles  Volvo XC60 AWD SUV 4,169 0.43
Safest 3% of all 2013 vehicles  Volvo XC60 FWD SUV 4,169 0.43
Safest 3% of all 2013 vehicles  Toyota Venza AWD SUV 4,090 0.45
Safest 3% of all 2013 vehicles  Toyota Venza FWD SUV 4,090 0.45
Safest 3% of all 2013 vehicles  Hyundai Santa Fe Sport AWD SUV 3,578 0.56
Safest 3% of all 2013 vehicles  Hyundai Santa Fe Sport FWD SUV 3,578 0.56
Safest 4% of all 2013 vehicles  Honda Odyssey FWD VAN 4,623 0.57
Safest 4% of all 2013 vehicles  Honda CR-V 4WD SUV 3,512 0.57
Safest 4% of all 2013 vehicles  Honda CR-V FWD SUV 3,512 0.57
Safest 4% of all 2013 vehicles  Ford Taurus 4DR AWD CAR 4,253 0.66
Safest 4% of all 2013 vehicles  Ford Taurus 4DR FWD CAR 4,253 0.66
Safest 5% of all 2013 vehicles  Infiniti M37 4DR AWD CAR 4,237 0.66
Safest 5% of all 2013 vehicles  Infiniti M37 4DR RWD CAR 4,237 0.66
Safest 5% of all 2013 vehicles  Infiniti M56 4DR AWD CAR 4,237 0.66
Safest 5% of all 2013 vehicles  Infiniti M56 4DR RWD CAR 4,237 0.66
Safest 5% of all 2013 vehicles  Cadillac XTS 4DR AWD CAR 4,224 0.66
Safest 5% of all 2013 vehicles  Cadillac XTS 4DR FWD CAR 4,224 0.66
Safest 5% of all 2013 vehicles  Lincoln MKS 4DR AWD CAR 4,160 0.68
Safest 5% of all 2013 vehicles  Lincoln MKS 4DR FWD CAR 4,160 0.68
Safest 6% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 528 I 4DR RWD CAR 4,090 0.70
Safest 6% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 528 Xdrive I 4DR AWD CAR 4,090 0.70
Safest 6% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 528 XI 4DR AWD CAR 4,090 0.70
Safest 6% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 535 I 4DR RWD CAR 4,090 0.70
Safest 6% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 535 I GT 4DR RWD CAR 4,090 0.70
Safest 6% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 535 I Xdrive 4DR AWD CAR 4,090 0.70
Safest 6% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 535 I Xdrive GT 4DR AWD CAR 4,090 0.70
Safest 7% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 550 I 4DR RWD CAR 4,090 0.70
Safest 7% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 550 I GT 4DR RWD CAR 4,090 0.70
Safest 7% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 550 I Xdrive 4DR AWD CAR 4,090 0.70
Safest 7% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 550 I Xdrive GT 4DR AWD CAR 4,090 0.70
Safest 7% of all 2013 vehicles  Cadillac CTS 4DR AWD CAR 3,997 0.73
Safest 7% of all 2013 vehicles  Cadillac CTS 4DR RWD CAR 3,997 0.73
Safest 7% of all 2013 vehicles  Cadillac CTS SW AWD CAR 3,997 0.73
Safest 7% of all 2013 vehicles  Cadillac CTS SW RWD CAR 3,997 0.73
Safest 8% of all 2013 vehicles  Dodge Charger 4DR AWD CAR 3,961 0.74
Safest 8% of all 2013 vehicles  Dodge Charger 4DR RWD CAR 3,961 0.74
Safest 8% of all 2013 vehicles  Chrysler 300 4DR AWD CAR 3,941 0.74
Safest 8% of all 2013 vehicles  Chrysler 300 4DR RWD CAR 3,941 0.74
Safest 8% of all 2013 vehicles  Buick Lacrosse 4DR AWD  CAR 3,922 0.75
Safest 8% of all 2013 vehicles  Buick Lacrosse 4DR FWD CAR 3,922 0.75
Safest 8% of all 2013 vehicles  Buick Lacrosse eAssist 4DR AWD  CAR 3,922 0.75
Safest 8% of all 2013 vehicles  Buick Lacrosse eAssist 4DR FWD CAR 3,922 0.75
Safest 9% of all 2013 vehicles  Chevrolet Volt 4DR FWD CAR 3,761 0.80
Safest 9% of all 2013 vehicles  Chevrolet Malibu 4DR FWD CAR 3,660 0.83
Safest 9% of all 2013 vehicles  Chevrolet Malibu 4DR FWD w/rear SAB's CAR 3,660 0.83
Safest 9% of all 2013 vehicles  Chevrolet Malibu Eco eAssist 4DR FWD CAR 3,660 0.83
Safest 9% of all 2013 vehicles  Chevrolet Malibu Eco eAssist 4DR FWD w/rear SAB's CAR 3,660 0.83
Safest 9% of all 2013 vehicles  Volvo S60 4DR AWD CAR 3,578 0.86
Safest 9% of all 2013 vehicles  Volvo S60 4DR FWD CAR 3,578 0.86
Safest 10% of all 2013 vehicles  Lexus ES350 4DR FWD CAR 3,549 0.87
Safest 10% of all 2013 vehicles  Toyota Avalon 4DR FWD CAR 3,490 0.89
Safest 10% of all 2013 vehicles  Toyota Avalon Hybrid 4DR FWD CAR 3,490 0.89
Safest 10% of all 2013 vehicles  Ford Fusion Energi 4DR FWD (Post 11/12) CAR 3,448 0.91
Safest 10% of all 2013 vehicles  Buick Verano 4DR FWD CAR 3,447 0.91
Safest 10% of all 2013 vehicles  Kia Optima 4DR FWD CAR 3,428 0.91
Safest 10% of all 2013 vehicles  Kia Optima Hybrid 4DR FWD CAR 3,428 0.91
Safest 11% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 328 I 4DR RWD CAR 3,417 0.92
Safest 11% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 328 I Xdrive 4DR AWD CAR 3,417 0.92
Safest 11% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 335 I 4DR RWD CAR 3,417 0.92
Safest 11% of all 2013 vehicles  BMW 335 I Xdrive 4DR AWD CAR 3,417 0.92
Safest 11% of all 2013 vehicles  Buick Regal 4DR FWD CAR 3,382 0.93
Safest 11% of all 2013 vehicles  Buick Regal eAssist 4DR FWD CAR 3,382 0.93
Safest 11% of all 2013 vehicles  Subaru Legacy 4DR 4WD (POST 8/12) CAR 3,355 0.94
Safest 12% of all 2013 vehicles  Subaru Outback 4DR 4WD (POST 8/12) CAR 3,355 0.94
Safest 12% of all 2013 vehicles  Dodge Dart 4DR FWD CAR 3,336 0.95
Safest 12% of all 2013 vehicles  Hyundai Sonata 4DR FWD CAR 3,282 0.97
Safest 12% of all 2013 vehicles  Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 4DR FWD CAR 3,282 0.97
Safest 12% of all 2013 vehicles  Honda Accord 2DR FWD CAR 3,254 0.98
Safest 12% of all 2013 vehicles  Honda Accord 4DR FWD CAR 3,252 0.98
Safest 12% of all 2013 vehicles  Volkswagen Passat 4DR FWD CAR 3,212 1.00

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     *IIHS requires each of the four crash modes (frontal, side, rear and rollover) to achieve the highest possible rating "GOOD" for a vehicle to be designated "Top Pick". Recently, IIHS added an additional "small overlap" frontal impact test and at this time only 25% of vehicles have been subjected to this new test. It is too soon to establish a calibrated safety threshold rating level, however of those vehicles subjected to this additional test only 1-of-5 received the lowest rating "POOR" and therefore these vehicles have been culled from the Super-Star list.

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     NHTSA determines which vehicles receive a 5-Star Overall rating based on integrating the risk for all crash modes to arrive at a single overall risk value for each vehicle. Although vehicles designated 5-Star Overall have the lowest overall risk some of these vehicles received lower than average ratings in individual crash modes. Specifically, only 16% of all vehicles received less than 5-Star side impact rating however several of these vehicles also received 5-Star Overall. These vehicles have been culled from the Super-Star list.

 

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     **The relative weight of a vehicle compared with one it collides with in a head-on crash is a critical determinant of the forces the occupants are subjected to, however vehicle weight is not considered in crash test ratings and must be evaluated separately. The effect of weight is determined by using the driver fatality factor, which is the ratio of driver fatality rate for a vehicle based on its size/weight versus the driver fatality rate in a 3,200 lb. passenger car. Approximately 20% of Super-Star vehicles have a driver fatality ratio greater than 1.0 and have been culled from this list. Click here for more information about vehicle size/weight incompatibility

 

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     ***Only vehicles with ratings published by NHTSA and IIHS are evaluated.

 

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Untitled Document

Every effort has been made to be accurate and objective, however all information is subject to errors and omissions.

Informed For Life  is a Connecticut nonprofit organization
http://www.informedforlife.org

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