The Safest New Cars of 2025

Our methodology for selecting the safest cars starts with the pool of those with perfect crash-test scores.
Then, we determined the safest trim levels based on advanced driver assistance features.
In addition to telling you about the safest models, we list the second tier of safe cars with the IIHS Top Safety Pick recognition.

Why publish a list of our picks for the safest new cars? Aren’t all cars safe in 2025? Don’t confuse “safe” with “safer.”

Manufacturers make vehicles safer than those from 10 years ago, for sure. However, some are safer than others. At least, that’s the finding of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the United States government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Both organizations put new car models through a battery of crash and safety tests, scoring each for the degree of protection they provide for occupants.

If you choose a car on this list, you can be assured you will be more likely to survive a crash and possibly avoid it altogether. We pulled together a collection of the best 2025 models that make it safer for you to drive on the road, and what earns them that distinction.

In a nutshell, these car models go above and beyond government-mandated safety features and manufacturer norms. Read on to learn more. Use the following jump links to skip ahead in the story.

How We Did It: The Methodology
Vehicle Crash and Safety Testing
What Are the Safest Cars?
IIHS TSP+ Award Winners

How We Did It: The Methodology

We looked for cars with top scores in both IIHS and NHTSA testing. With those in hand, we narrowed the field among the trim levels within each model based on standard and available active safety features such as blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist.

Several safety features to which we’ve grown accustomed are actually government-mandated. In other words, the federal government made them standard by law. These include antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, rearview cameras, tire pressure monitors, etc. Even forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking is government-mandated beginning in 2029.

Airbags

The government also mandates airbags. However, that mandate stops at two: one for the driver and one for the front passenger. With the exception of 2-seater sports cars, nearly all passenger vehicles today come with at least six airbags. They include the two mandated airbags, two front-side impact airbags, and two side-curtain airbags.

However, several models don’t stop there, either. They may include airbags covering rear-side impact, knee, front center, etc. We point out when one of our picks provides more than six airbags.

Some government-mandated safety features are referred to as active safety features, defined by their role in preventing accidents. Stability control and antilock brakes fall into this category. Because we know these are mandated features, we don’t itemize them in our descriptions.

Advanced Driver Assistance Technologies

We are convinced that advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are critical to your and your family’s safety when in your car. In research published in August 2023, AAA reported that 37 million crashes could be prevented over the next 30 years with the widespread adoption of ADAS. Moreover, preventing those millions of crashes could save 250,000 lives while preventing 14 million injuries. Consequently, ADAS ranks high in our consideration when picking our list of safest cars.

In determining the safest trim levels within models, we looked at active safety features that the government does not currently mandate. These features include forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist.

We also considered other driver aids, such as adaptive cruise control, high-beam assist, driver-awareness alert, and a head-up display. We argue that LED exterior headlights, rain-sensing wipers, and auto-dimming rearview mirrors also contribute to a vehicle’s safety.

Here’s a list of the more significant advanced technologies we considered. Because many carmakers have unique names for the advanced safety technologies listed below, we’ve used popular industry jargon.

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): Adaptive cruise control maintains the preset speed you’ve chosen and also responds to the changing speed of the vehicle ahead. It slows your car as the vehicle ahead slows, then speeds back up as the other does. Some systems will bring the vehicle to a complete stop if necessary. A form of adaptive cruise control, Traffic Jam Assist, is engineered specifically for slow-moving stop-and-go city traffic.
Adaptive Front Lights: These headlights turn in the same direction as the front wheels to light the way when taking a curve or making a turn.
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB): Often paired with forward collision warning, AEB senses when your vehicle is likely to strike an object in front of it. The AEB system then automatically applies the brakes. More sophisticated systems include pedestrian and cyclist detection. IIHS requires automatic emergency braking for TSP or TSP+ qualification. By 2029, automatic emergency braking will be in every new vehicle as required by federal mandate.
Blind-Spot Monitoring (BSM): Sensors mounted on the corners of the rear bumper detect and warn of approaching traffic pulling into the blind spots on the rear quarters of your vehicle. Typically, it is married to the rear cross-traffic alert that warns of traffic crossing behind you when backing out of a parking space.
Driver Monitoring System (DMS): Employing cameras and other sensors, DMS determines if a driver’s attention is still on the road. Several manufacturers call this technology “Driver Awareness Alert.”
Forward Collision Warning: FCW uses a camera or a combination of camera and radar, sounding an alert when it detects an impending front crash. Most current systems also include emergency braking if the driver fails to respond to the warning.
High-Beam Assist: In vehicles with this system, the high beams remain on. The system automatically switches off the high beams when photosensors or a forward-pointed camera detects oncoming headlights or taillights. It automatically switches them back on when no vehicle lights are detected.
Junction-Turning Assist (JTA): Sometimes called “intersection-turning assist,” this system detects oncoming traffic when making a left turn in an intersection. It sounds a warning, and some more advanced systems also engage the brakes.
Lane-Centering Assist (LCA): Using a forward-pointed camera, LCA keeps the vehicle centered in the lane by tracking lane markings. It’s a proactive system that constantly makes minute steering corrections to maintain its position in the center of the lane.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW): A front-pointed camera monitors the defining lines on the pavement bordering your driving lane. When the system senses you are drifting over either line, an auditory warning sounds if you don’t engage a turn signal. More sophisticated systems with steering assist even nudge you back toward the center.
Lane-Following Assist (LFA): When the lane markings aren’t clearly defined, your vehicle maintains the same course as the vehicle preceding it.
Lane-Keeping Assist: LKA is similar to lane departure systems with steering assist, except there is no auditory warning. Lane-keeping assist uses a forward-pointed camera to keep track of lane markings. It constantly initiates steering corrections, keeping you within the lane boundaries.
Lane-Tracing Assist: (LTA) If the lanes aren’t well defined enough for the lane-keeping assist to function, this technology uses the forward-pointing camera to follow the preceding vehicle’s path.
Park Assist: Sensors on a car’s rear and/or front bumper sound an alarm when they detect a nearby object. More sophisticated systems also provide automatic braking.
Parking Assistance: These systems vary in sophistication and what they can accomplish independently. However, they all assume some of the tasks of parking a car parallel or diagonally. Basic systems assume steering duties while the driver retains control of the brakes. The most sophisticated systems find an appropriate parking space and then complete the parking task without driver input.
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA): Uses rear-mounted sensors to detect traffic crossing behind your vehicle when backing out of a parking space or driveway. Some systems also include automatic braking.
Safe Exit Assist (SEA): Radar-based, this technology detects traffic approaching from the rear in a neighboring lane and prevents the doors on that side of the vehicle from opening.
Surround-View Camera: Sometimes called bird’s-eye view or 360-degree monitoring, this is a series of at least four cameras, each taking an image of a different side of the vehicle. The system then knits the four images together, creating an image encompassing a few feet around the car. A representation of the vehicle is dropped into the center of the image. This technology is helpful when maneuvering through tight spaces or parking.
Traffic Jam Assist (TJA) is a low-speed adaptive cruise control for managing stop-and-go traffic or heavy highway congestion.
Traffic Sign Recognition: TSR is capable of recognizing a variety of common road signs, and displays recognized signs on one of the vehicle’s display screens or the head-up display, if so equipped.

Other Safety Features

Auto On/Off Headlights: Photosensors monitor daylight, automatically engaging the headlights as the daylight grows dim, then extinguishing them as daylight returns.
Auto-Dimming Mirrors: Photosensors recognize bright headlights closing from behind and automatically dim the lights’ reflection. Any rearview mirror (inside and outboard) can have this feature.
Head-up Display: A HUD projects key driver information onto the windshield just below the driver’s line of sight. The ability to check information, such as vehicle speed, keeps the driver’s eyes on the road rather than glancing at the speedometer.
Heated Outboard Mirrors: Electrically heated, these mirrors automatically clear the mirror surface of fog, ice, and snow. Some examples also include integrated turn signals.
Hill-Start Assist: Sensors alert the system that your vehicle is stopped on an incline. The system then kicks in to retain full brake pressure as you transfer your foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator, preventing the vehicle from rolling.
LED Headlights: Light-emitting diodes illuminate a broader and longer area than regular incandescent or halogen lights, making LEDs easier for other drivers to see.
Rain-Sensing Wipers: This system automatically engages the wipers when it senses moisture on the windshield. The wiper speed adjusts to the volume of rain.
Rear Seat Alert: This feature automatically sounds an auditory reminder or flashes an alert to a driver exiting the vehicle to check the back seat for children, pets, and packages.

Vehicle Crash and Safety Testing

Here’s a crash course in crash tests and what you can expect.

IIHS

Key to our research and a core qualifier for our safest car picks is the battery of crash and safety tests performed by the independent and nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Currently, the IIHS relies mainly on three crash tests on cars, light trucks, minivans, and SUVs. They include a small overlap front, a moderate overlap front: updated, and a side: updated. It’s worth noting that the small overlap front and side-test protocols include separated testing for both the right and left sides; consequently, they each could technically be called two tests for a total of five. However, the IIHS lumps the right and left portions of the small overlap front and side tests into single scores for rating purposes.

As automakers make vehicles safer, the IIHS constantly evolves its testing. Consequently, it no longer conducts a roof strength or head restraint test because the technology for both has become so advanced and effective.

The IIHS scoring is Good, Acceptable, Marginal, and Poor in descending order. Every pick on our list scored Good for all three tests.

Beyond the crash tests, the IIHS evaluates headlights and vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash protection. Here, the scoring is Superior, Advanced, and Basic. Moreover, the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) child-seat anchors are also assessed.

Only models getting the highest marks in both the crash tests and the other evaluations earn the IIHS highest safety awards of Top Safety Pick (TSP) and Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+). Every model on our list has at least the IIHS’s TSP safety rating. When one of our picks is a TSP+, we mention it in the description. We do include a list of models earning the TSP safety rating.

Note: When the IIHS tests vehicles, it treats plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) as distinct models, scoring them separately from the internal-combustion-engine (ICE) models. However, IIHS views hybrid models that don’t require charging through an outside source as a trim level of the ICE model. That means if a gas-powered model made this list with a TSP or TSP+ rating, its hybrid version did, too.

NHTSA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration testing isn’t as complex as that of the IIHS, but it performs front and side crash tests. The front test is a 35-mph crash into a fixed barrier. NHTSA combines the results of side-barrier and driver-door side-pole crash tests to arrive at the side test results. NHTSA scoring takes into account a rollover aspect. It’s really an evaluation of the likelihood of a vehicle rolling over. No rollover crash test is performed.

NHTSA awards one to five stars each for front, side, and rollover scenarios. 5-Star is the best score. NHTSA also issues an overall score. Every pick on this list boasts a 5-Star overall score. Where a 5-Star score isn’t present, NHTSA has yet to test it. We didn’t think we should omit those cars because of NHTSA’s lack of a rating.

What Are the Safest Cars?

We’ve included the base price, the model nameplate with the price of what we consider the best value with the most safety, and the combined city/highway mileage for the base engine at the top of each description. You will also find our Kelley Blue Book Expert Rating. All pricing includes the inescapable factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).

Note: Even with dealer inventories improving for many car models, many popular models remain in short supply. That, combined with the new tariffs, keeps pricing constantly in flux. We aim to keep up with those price variations, updating stories with the latest price information as we discover it. However, these unannounced factory price hikes are difficult to track. In other words, the prices listed below are the most recent as of this writing. Moreover, you may still find dealer markups on some harder-to-find models from carmakers like Honda and Kia. Dealers add these charges to increase profit on those models.

2025 Honda Accord

Starting Price: $29,445
IIHS Rating: TSP+
Kelley Blue Book Rating: 4.8

Fully redesigned for 2023, the Accord is a past Best Buy Award winner. In addition to its durability and better-than-average resale value, the Accord provides an assortment of safety features and advanced safety technologies. It comes with 10 airbags, hill-start assist, auto on/off LED headlights, and high-beam assist. Included among its Honda Sensing suite of safety tech are lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, and traffic jam assist. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert aren’t available on the entry-level trim. However, they are standard with the SE grade. The Accord earned the IIHS TSP+ rating. Honda also offers the Accord as a hybrid.

There are other good reasons, like the 48-mpg combined fuel economy, to move up to one of the four hybrid trim levels that start at $34,805, but increasing safety features isn’t one of them. Sure, you gain front/rear park assist with the EX-L Hybrid. You’ll get a few other of our preferred features, like a head-up display, on the top trim, but the jump in cost doesn’t make sense from a safety standpoint. We’d go with the SE grade.

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2026 Honda Civic Hatchback

Starting Price: $28,990
IIHS Rating: TSP+
Kelley Blue Book Rating: 4.7

Honda offers its Civic as a sedan and hatchback. Refreshed for 2025, the hatchback earned the IIHS TSP+ award. However, for whatever reason, the IIHS named the sedan a TSP winner. Because of the IIHS scoring, we feature the hatchback here. You can get into the sedan’s base LX model for $25,790 and its Sport trim for $27,790. When NHTSA tested the Honda Civic sedan, hatchback, and Si, all achieved 5-Star overall ratings. Oh, and the Civic retains its value better than any of its rivals. The sedan’s base LX comes with 10 airbags, LED headlights and taillights, rear seat reminder, high-beam assist, and adaptive cruise control. Standard driver aids are lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, and Traffic Jam Assist. A lane departure warning with steering assistance is also included.

Meanwhile, the Sport also includes blind-spot monitoring and a rear cross-traffic monitor among other goodies. Moving up to the top-of-the-line Sport Touring Hybrid gains you an auto-dimming rearview mirror, rain-sensing wipers, and front-rear park assist. In the sedan, we’d stay with the LX. In the IIHS higher-safety-rated Hatchback, we’d stick with the Sport. You may well be able to find some 2025 models still on dealer lots, in which case the prices would be roughly $1,500 less than the 2026 models.

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2025 Hyundai Elantra

Starting Price: $23,370
IIHS Rating: TSP+
Kelley Blue Book Rating: 4.6

The Hyundai Elantra’s base engine remains a somewhat timid 147-hp 4-cylinder, but the mileage is a healthy 36 mpg in mixed driving. The Elantra also comes as a fuel-sipping hybrid. Space and comfort are hallmarks of the Elantra interior, while safety and value remain solid purchase motivators. Earning the IIHS TSP+ rating, every Elantra trim comes with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-following assist, lane-keeping assist, safe exit assist, driver monitoring system, and high-beam assist.

Although moving up to either of the SEL trims doesn’t add any notable safety features, stepping up to the Limited gains you enhanced forward collision avoidance assist, adaptive cruise control, LED headlights, rear park assist with automatic braking, heated outboard mirrors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a surround-view camera, and a blind-spot view monitor. Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist is also included. It allows the Elantra to steer, accelerate, and brake itself under certain conditions. The Limited trim is more than a $5,000 upgrade; however, we think the added advanced safety and driver-assistance tech is worth it.

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2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6

Starting Price: $39,095
IIHS Rating: TSP+
Kelley Blue Book Rating: 4.6

Following the success of the Ioniq 5 SUV, along comes the Ioniq 6 fully electric sedan. Streamlined, with up to 320 hp or 361 miles of range, depending on trim level, and quick charging, the Ioniq 6 is an impressive contender.

This IIHS TSP+ pick comes with a wide range of standard safety features, including FCA with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, safe exit assist, and automatic high beams. If you want blind-spot collision avoidance assist, junction turning assist, or the Highway Driving Assist II semi-autonomous system (HDA I is standard), you’ll have to choose the SEL. The Limited adds a surround-view monitor, blind spot view monitor (camera), and parking collision avoidance assist. If you’re looking for more power, more features, AWD, or more range, we’d recommend some of the higher trim levels. However, there are so many safety features on the base model that the rear-wheel-drive SE Standard Range is the best safety value.

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2025 Hyundai Sonata

Starting Price: $28,145
IIHS Rating: TSP+
Kelley Blue Book Rating: 4.4

Also available in hybrid trims, the Hyundai Sonata is an IIHS TSP+ pick. Its 191-hp engine is sufficient for both city treks and highway touring. Also, all-wheel drive is now available. We like the Sonata’s value message and passenger-friendly cabin. Its dual 12.3-inch displays remind us of luxury sedans. The Sonata features many of our suggested safety technologies, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking, junction-turning assist, safe exit assist, and adaptive cruise control. LED headlights and taillights, as well asd high-beam assist, are also standard.

Heated outboard mirrors are about the only one of our safety features to be gained by stepping up to a higher trim. Therefore, your safety needs would be well served by the entry-level SE trim.

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2025 Kia K4

Starting Price: $23,185
IIHS Rating: TSP+
Kelley Blue Book Rating: 4.5

An all-new model for 2025, the Kia K4 compact sedan is stylish, affordable, and brimming with technology. It pushes forward the notion that the Kia brand is a value proposition. Speaking of value, the listed price is for the entry-level LX grade. We recommend spending another $1,000 to upgrade to the LXS. Even the LX delivers LED headlights, haptic warnings through the steering wheel, eight airbags, hill-start assist, and heated outboard mirrors.

Kia’s Drive Wise suite of advanced safety technologies is also standard. Among them are adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist, high-beam assist, and forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection. Moving up to LXS trim gains blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and safe exit warning.

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2025 Mazda3

Starting Price: $25,385
IIHS Rating: TSP+
Kelley Blue Book Rating: 4.1

We get excited when a car as much fun to pilot around as the Mazda3 turns out to be one of the safest. Mazda offers the Mazda3 as a sedan or a hatchback in most trims. No matter the body style, the cabin is sporty, and both body configurations boast IIHS TSP+ honors. Above average performance for its class, the Mazda3 sources thrust from a 191-hp 4-cylinder engine. Even in its base 2.5 S trim, it provides many of our sought-after safety features. For example, standard equipment includes automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control with full stop-and-go, LED headlights, and high-beam assist. So are blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

Opting for the 2.5 S Premium brings adaptive headlights, a head-up display, and traffic sign recognition. You must move all the way up to the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus to add a surround-view monitor, front/rear park assist with automatic reverse braking, and Mazda’s Cruising and Traffic Support, a semi-autonomous driving system. We say there are plenty of safety features in the base 2.5 S.

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2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Starting Price: $49,600
IIHS Rating: TSP+
Kelley Blue Book Rating: 4.5

Planting the Mercedes-Benz flag in the small, luxury sedan arena, the C-Class provides premium features and solid safety ratings. It is a Top Safety Pick+, and NHTSA gave it a 5-Star overall rating. For the price, the entry-level C-Class isn’t exactly packed with advanced safety tech. Among our list of recommended safety features, the entry-level C-Class trim comes with auto on/off LED headlights, high-beam assist, seven airbags, heated outboard mirrors, and rain-sensing wipers. Among the popular advanced safety tech are blind-spot monitoring with exit alert and a driver monitoring system. Also standard is the Mercedes Parktronic with Active Parking Assist, which will find a suitable parking spot and do the parking for you.

To gain other advanced safety tech, like BSM with steering assist, Active Brake Assist with Turning and Cross-Traffic function (junction-turning assist), lane-centering assist, lane-keeping assist, and other tech, requires the $1,950 Driver Assistance Package. With the Exclusive Trim package ($2,050) comes a surround-view camera, and several non-safety features; the Pinnacle Trim package ($4,100), which includes all the features in the Exclusive Trim package, adds a HUD, augmented navigation, and LED digital-light headlamps with projections to the Exclusive Trim’s contents. We’d go with the C 300 Exclusive and the Driver Assistance Package.

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2025 Toyota Camry

Starting Price: $29,895
IIHS Rating: TSP+
Kelley Blue Book Rating: 4.8

Few sedans in history have achieved the success and positive reputation of the Toyota Camry. It checks all the boxes as a family hauler. Comfortable, safe, fuel-efficient, and reliable, the 2025 Camry is a Top Safety Pick+. We are so smitten with the latest Camry that we named it Our Best New Model of 2025.

Every 2025 Camry is a hybrid and comes with Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0. This bundle of advanced tech includes automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, and lane-tracing assist. It also has, as standard, Toyota’s Proactive Driving Assist, which helps the driver slow the Camry and steer through curves. High-beam assist, safe exit assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert are also included. The airbag count is 10.

As far as safety is concerned, stick with the entry-level LE. A head-up display and a surround-view camera are options on the two highest trim levels.

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2025 Toyota Prius

Starting Price: $29,745
IIHS Rating: TSP+
Kelley Blue Book Rating: 4.8

With sleek styling, significantly more power, and better combined mpg, the Toyota Prius has been making waves since its 2023 redesign. In addition to offering stellar fuel economy, the Prius comes standard with plenty of impressive safety features. Even the base model, the LE, has Toyota Safety Sense 3.0. This suite of safety features includes forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, road sign recognition, and automatic high beams. In addition to detecting pedestrians, Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 can detect bicycles and motorcycles. Its Emergency Driving Stop can determine when the driver may have a medical issue and can bring the Prius to a stop.

The Prius also comes standard with blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic detection, safe exit assist, and tire pressure monitoring. You can add front and rear parking sensors for $35 and all-wheel drive for $1,400, but you have just about every safety feature you need in the LE.

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IIHS TSP+ Award Winners

MAKE AND MODEL	IIHS	NHTSA Overall
2025 Honda Accord	TSP+	5-Star
2025 Honda Civic Hatchback	TSP+	5-Star
2025 Hyundai Elantra	TSP+	5-Star
2025 Hyundai Sonata	TSP+	5-Star
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6	TSP+	5-Star
2025 Kia K4	TSP+	5-Star
2025 Mazda3 Sedan and Hatchback	TSP+	5-Star
2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class	TSP+	5-Star
2025 Toyota Camry	TSP+	5-Star
2025 Toyota Prius	TSP+	5-Star

IIHS TSP Award Winners

MAKE AND MODEL	IIHS	NHTSA Overall
2025 Acura Integra	TSP	5-Star
2025 Genesis G90	TSP	5-Star
2025 Honda Civic Sedan	TSP	5-Star