Oct 30, 2024
High car safety ratings will help you save on insurance
The safest cars in Canada have high safety ratings. Driving comes with many risks, and it’s essential to know the driver and passengers are protected if an accident occurs.
Improvements can be structural, or as simple as headlights. Studies show that headlight improvements can even reduce crashes. Driving at night is one of the most dangerous times on the road. Many new headlights can improve safety from 4% to 29%.
Check out the IIHS list of the safest cars in Canada 2024/2025 to determine where your car lands on the list or plan for your next vehicle.
Three key takeaways about the safest vehicles for 2024/2025
- Car safety ratings, which assess both crashworthiness and collision avoidance capabilities, determine a vehicle's ability to protect occupants in an accident, with higher ratings indicating a better chance of survival.
- The safest cars on this list share the ability to lower your insurance rates due to their reduced risk of collisions, theft, and injuries, thanks to features like collision avoidance, theft prevention, and advanced safety systems.
- While many top-rated vehicles share similar safety features, the ultimate determinant of a car's safety is the driver, making a safe car driven responsibly the safest vehicle on the road.
What’s on this page
What are car safety ratings?Types of car safety ratings in Canada
Criteria for the top safety picks
How does car safety rating help lower insurance?
Safest cars
Safest luxury cars
Safest SUVs
Safest minivans
Safest trucks
How to check your car’s safety rating
FAQs about the safest cars
What are car safety ratings?
Car safety ratings are specific scores given to vehicles to determine how safe they are if there is an accident. The score also examines how effectively the vehicle avoids a collision altogether. A car with a good rating compared to poor will have a better chance at protecting you and passengers.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is the definitive source for determining the safest cars to drive. Using tests to assess vehicles’ accident avoidance and protect occupants, they identify the safest vehicles to drive.
The IIHS raised the bar for vehicle safety in 2024, implementing stricter criteria for its coveted Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards. These new standards, which emphasize rear-seat passenger and pedestrian protection, have resulted in fewer vehicles achieving the Top Safety Pick+ designation this year.
This reduction reflects the IIHS's commitment to ensuring that only the safest vehicles earn the highest recognition, making this year's list a testament to exceptional safety performance.Types of car safety ratings in Canada
Canada uses three different entities to establish a car safety rating. It includes the following:
- IIHS safety rating: the IIHS rates a vehicle’s safety performance using colour codes on a scale. Each colour represents a range from “Poor” to “Good”, or from “Basic” to “Superior.”
- National safety mark: Set by car manufacturers and must comply with Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (MVSR) in Canada. This national safety mark serves as an indication of safety and reliability.
- NHTSA rating: An American-based organization that rates vehicles on a 5-star rating program with five being the highest and being the lowest rating.
These factors help reduce overall insurance claims costs for insurers, which means a lower car insurance quote for you.
Criteria for the top safety picks
To qualify as an IIHS Top Safety Pick vehicles must meet the following criteria:
- There is a good rating in driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests.
- An acceptable or good rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test.
- An advanced or superior rating in the front crash prevention test.
- An acceptable or good in the headlight rating.
- Acceptable or good in the pedestrian front crash prevention test.
- Acceptable or good in the updated moderate overlap front test.
How does car safety rating help lower insurance?
The vehicles in this list of the safest cars all have one thing in common - they can help you lower your car insurance rates. Safer vehicles are less of a risk, therefore vehicles with a higher safety rating are less of a risk. Here is why:
- Fewer collisions: Collision avoidance sensors provide drivers with assistance to prevent accidents and to adjust driving to avoid objects.
- Less theft: Car safety features such as theft prevention, engine shut-off, and tracking capabilities make vehicles less likely to target thieves and reduce car theft.
- Fewer injuries: High-quality airbags, collision impact reduction design, and accident avoidance helps to reduce and prevent injuries.
What are the safest small cars in Canada?
Do you prefer to drive a smaller car? Here are some of the top-rated for safety in this class:
- Acura Integra
- Honda Civic
- Hyundai Elantra
- Mazda 3
- Mini Countryman
- Subaru Impreza
- Subaru WRX
- Toyota Prius
- Toyota Prius Prime Plug-in Hybrid
Safest midsize cars
Is a midsize car more your style? Here are the safest vehicles in this class:
- Honda Accord
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 Full Electric Vehicle
- Hyundai Sonata
- Subaru Outback
- Toyota Camry
Safest midsize luxury cars
Shopping for a safe midsize luxury car? Your best option is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Safest large cars
Only one large car made the list of best safe options to drive, the Toyota Crown.
Safest large luxury cars
Enjoy large luxury vehicles? Here are the top safety performers:
- BMW 5 series
- Genesis Electrified G80
- Genesis G80
- Genesis G90 (Award applies only to vehicles built after October 2023)
What are the safest small SUVs?
Small SUV models are a popular option for all types of drivers. They are safer than small cars and have more storage capacity, making them great for city drivers and those considering their Toronto car insurance costs. If you need something for the city that will keep you safe you'll love these:
- 2024 BMW X1
- 25 BMW X2
- Genesis GV60
- Honda CR-V
- Honda HR-V
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Hyundai Kona
- Hyundai Tucson (Award applies only to vehicles built after March 2024)
- Kia Sportage
- Lexus RZ
- Lexus UX
- Mazda CX-30
- Mazda CX-50 (Award applies only to vehicles built after August 2023)
- Subaru Solterra
Safest midsize SUVs
Looking for the best SUV with a little more room and high safety standards? These are the safest midsize SUVs in Canada:
- Ford Explorer
- Honda Pilot
- Hyundai Palisade
- Hyundai Santa Fe
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Kia EV9 (Award applies only to vehicles built after January 2024)
- Kia Sorento
- Kia Telluride
- Mazda CX-70
- Mazda CX-70 PHEV
- Mazda CX-90
- Mazda CX-90 PHEV
- Nissan Ariya
- Nissan Pathfinder (Award applies only to vehicles built after November 2023)
- Subaru Ascent
- Toyota Highlander
- Volkswagen Atlas
- Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
- Volkswagen ID.4
Safest midsize luxury SUVs
Drive an SUV with all the bells and whistles? These have it all from a safety perspective:
- Acura MDX
- Acura RDX
- Audi Q4 e-tron
- Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron
- BMW X3
- BMW X5
- Genesis Electrified GV70 (Award applies only to vehicles built after April 2024)
- Genesis GV70 (Award applies only to vehicles built after April 2024)
- Genesis GV80 (Award applies only to vehicles built after August 2023)
- Infiniti QX60
- Lexus NX
- Lexus NX Plug-In Hybrid
- Lexus RX
- Lincoln Nautilus
- Mercedes-Benz GLC
- Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class (Award applies only to vehicles with optional front crash prevention)
- Tesla Model Y
- Tesla Model Y AWD
- Volvo XC90
- Volvo XC90 Recharge
Safest large SUVs
- Audi Q7
- Audi Q8 e-tron
- Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron
- Jeep Wagoneer
- Rivian R1S
Safest minivans
Choosing a minivan for your family means prioritizing safety above all else. While all modern minivans offer a high level of safety features, some consistently stand out for their performance in crash tests and overall safety ratings.
This year, the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna are among the top contenders for the safest minivans on the market, earning top marks from organizations like the IIHS and NHTSA.
Safest trucks
For those seeking a compact pickup truck that doesn't compromise on safety, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz and Toyota Tacoma are top contenders. Both trucks offer a blend of car-like handling and pickup truck utility, but they also excel in safety. Whether you're hauling gear for weekend adventures or navigating city streets, these small pickups offer peace of mind, knowing that safety is a priority.
Safest large pickups
Choosing a truck means prioritizing safety, especially when you're hauling precious cargo. While all trucks offer safety features, some stand out for their performance in crash tests and overall safety ratings. This list highlights the safest trucks on the market, offering a mix of full-size and compact options, all designed to keep you and your passengers secure on the road.
- Rivian R1T
- Toyota Tundra
How to check your car’s safety rating
To check your car’s safety rating, you can go directly to the IIHS website and search for your make and model. You’ll learn more about how the vehicle protects occupants and how well it is rated for crash avoidance and mitigation.
FAQs about the safest cars
In Canada, car safety ratings are determined by various crash tests and how safety features work. Depending on the score, you will know how good or poorly a vehicle will protect you in a crash or how to avoid them.
The safest cars for young drivers are vehicles they are comfortable driving. In general, it’s recommended for teen drivers to have lower horsepower and bigger vehicles. Any car that appears on the top safety list is worth considering for your teen driver. Since most teens drive used vehicles, it’s also essential to choose a car that is known for reliability. Since most teens drive used vehicles, it’s also important to choose a vehicle that is known for reliability.
Many great vehicles share very similar safety features and ratings. Any one of the top safety picks on the IIHS list is safe. But, the key determining factor that makes a car safe is who is driving. Choosing one of the safest cars and driving with safety in mind will make your vehicle one of the safest on the market.
Subarus are consistently considered one of the safest car brands each year. They have award-winning safety features to help keep drivers safe while driving or if they get in an accident.
Smaller and faster vehicles are less safe to drive. When considering cars, look into reliability, recalls, collision testing performance, and the vehicle's overall protection if you were involved in an accident.
Final thoughts on why you should buy a safe vehicle
Along with being a defensive driver and graduating from an MTO approved driving school, buying a safer vehicle plays a crucial role in keeping roads safe and lowering your car insurance in Ontario and other parts of Canada.
All of these factors help to reduce overall insurance claims costs for insurers. As a result, there is a lower risk for insurers, which means a lower premium for you.
