There was a time when safety ratings were based entirely on crash tests. As technology progressed, crash tests became more advanced. However, they have recently expanded to include crash avoidance features as well. Here are the safest cars for 2016.
They used two safety ratings. One of them was Safety Pick, and the other one was Safety Pick Plus. To get the Safety Pick Plus the vehicle must get a good Safety Pick rating and have accident avoidance features.
(Article continues below Infographic)
Toyota Avalon
The Toyota Avalon got a Safety Pick Plus rating. It has automatic braking which is quicker than a drivers reaction time in a sudden stop. It also has great handling for its size and quick acceleration, making it one of the safest family cars on the road.
Toyota Rav4
The Rav4 also got a Safety Pick Plus rating for its automatic braking feature. The optional all-wheel drive gives it good handling, and it gets good gas mileage.
Nissan Maxima
This car got a superior rating in the overlap crash test. This combined with automatic braking elevate it to Safety Pick Plus status. It also has plenty of horsepower with its 300 hp V-6 engine. This gives it good acceleration.
Chrysler 200
Good crash test ratings and automatic braking make this the only American based company to get a Safety Pick Plus rating. It also has good handling for a sedan. While the four cyllinder model may be slightly underpowered, drivers can always get the optional V-6 engine.
Toyota had the most Safety Pick Plus winners with a total of nine. Honda has eight models that are Safety Pick Plus picks. Volkswagon and Audi have a total of 7 combined, and Subaru has six.
In the Safety Pick category which just looks at crash test performance, General Motors has five winning models. Ford can be found on the list for the Supercrew F-150 truck. The tests had much tougher standards this year. This resulted in 20 vehicles that won the award last year not being found this year.
As the standards for vehicle safety continue to get more stringent, car accident lawyers in Illinois strive to hold manufacturers to those standards. Accident avoidance is just as crucial is providing safety during a crash, but America’s car makers seem to be lagging behind.
