Since 2006, the U.S.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has acknowledged the vehicles that perform the best and offer the most protection for occupants at its annual awards. The 2020 Top Safety Picks can help drivers in their car-buying decision by narrowing down the most reliable and dependable vehicles.
The IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winners for 2020
The IIHS analyzes the top safety picks by testing the crashworthiness as well as crash avoidance and mitigation. In simple terms: The award winners are the vehicles that come equipped with acceptable or good headlights, have advanced or superior crash prevention, as well as good ratings in other areas of vehicle safety like head restraints and roof strength. Here are the Top Safety Pick+ award winners from the IIHS:
- Crashworthiness: How well a vehicle protects the driver and its occupants.
- Crash avoidance and mitigation: The technology that comes standard or that can be added to a vehicle to prevent collisions or lessen the severity of a crash.
Top safety picks for small to midsize cars
| Small car | Midsize car |
|---|---|
| 2020-21 Honda Insight sedan | 2020 Mazda 6 sedan |
| 2020 Mazda 3 hatchback | 2020 Nissan Maxima sedan |
| 2020 Mazda 3 sedan | 2020 Subaru Legacy sedan |
| 2020 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid wagon | 2020 Subaru Outback wagon |
| 2020 Toyota Camry sedan |
For a little more style, here are the luxury car selections.
| Midsize luxury car | Large luxury car |
|---|---|
| 2020 Lexus ES 350 sedan | 2020 Audi A6 sedan |
| 2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan | 2020 Audi A6 allroad wagon |
| 2020 Tesla Model 3 sedan | 2020 Genesis G70 sedan |
| 2020 Genesis G80 sedan | |
| 2020 Genesis G90 sedan |
If you are keen on buying a larger vehicle, check out these top safety picks for SUVs.
Top safety picks for small to midsize SUVs
| Small SUV | Midsize SUV |
|---|---|
| 2020 Mazda CX-3 SUV | 2020 Mazda CX-9 SUV |
| 2020 Mazda CS-5 SUV | 2021 Subaru Ascent SUV |
| 2020 Subaru Forester SUV |
These SUVs are safe and luxurious.
Top safety picks for midsize and large luxury SUVs
| Midsize luxury SUV | Large luxury SUV |
|---|---|
| 2020 Acura RDX SUV | 2020 Audi e-tron Sportback SUV |
| 2020 Cadillac XT6 SUV | |
| 2020 Hyundai Nexo SUV | |
| 2020 Lexus NX SUV | |
| 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class SUV | |
| 2020 Volvo XC90 SUV |
The safest and most cost-effective vehicles to insure
We compared the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winners to find out which vehicles are the cheapest to insure. To find out which of these safety-picks cost less to insure, we compared average car insurance quotes for a fictional 35-year-old driver with a clean driving record across 13 Ontario cities. We selected Ajax, Aurora, Kingston, Kitchener, Lindsay, London, Mississauga, Ottawa, Peterborough, Scarborough, Sudbury, Toronto and Windsor. Quotes may vary depending on your details and driving record.
Check out the top 10 results below, ranked from inexpensive to most expensive to insure:
The Top Safety Pick+ vehicles with the cheapest car insurance
The following 2020 Top Safety Pick+ award winners ranked as the most cost-effective to insure: The list showcases a variety of larger vehicles, which the IIHS notes are also the safest vehicles.
- 2020 Subaru Forester SUV
- 2020 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid wagon
- 2020 Subaru Outback wagon
- 2020 Tesla Model 3 sedan
- 2020 Mazda CX-3 SUV
- 2020 Mazda CS-5 SUV
- 2020 Subaru Legacy sedan
- 2020-21 Honda Insight sedan
- 2020 Acura RDX SUV
- 2020 Mazda CX-9 SUV
Don't waste time calling around for auto insurance
Use RATESDOTCA to shop around, and compare multiple quotes at the same time.
How are auto insurance rates determined?
Although safety is paramount, your car insurance rate is more than just the safety-rating on the car you drive. Your driving record, age, location and driving history are all important factors to consider when calculating your rate. Details like how far your drive to work and whether you have any tickets or accidents on your record can increase your rate.
So, before you go ahead and buy a new ride, it’s important to compare car insurance quotes first. Every person is different, so even if your neighbour drives the same vehicle as you, you may end up with a significantly different rate. Compare and save on car insurance before making your final purchase decision.
