The non-profit group called the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety has published its annual list of the safest cars for the year 2013. The list of cars tested is broad. The number of cars earning either the “Top Safety Pick” or the “Top Safety Pick+” awards was roughly 130. The award winning cars were found among the following classes of cars:
- Mincars
- Small Cars
- Midsize moderately priced cars
- Midsize luxury/near luxury cars
- Large family cars
- Large luxury cars
- Small SUVs
- Midsize SUVs
- Midsize luxury SUVs
- Large SUVs
- Minivans
- Large pickups
For a car to earn a “2013 TOP SAFETY PICK” award, it must score a “good” rating in the side impact, rear tests, rollover, and moderate overlap frontal test regardless of its rating in the small overlap frontal test. Cars looking to receive the “2013 TOP SAFETY PICK+” award must score “good” ratings for crash protection in all but one of the five evaluations and no less than acceptable in the fifth test. The latest test for vehicles is the “small overlap frontal” test which evaluates how automobiles respond to a front-corner collision with another car or stationary object like a telephone pole.
So of the 130 vehicles which earned safety awards, which ones comprise the top three safest cars of 2013? That question is not easy to answer. Larger vehicles tend to be safer than smaller ones because of their sheer size and heavier composition. A 2013 Ford Econoline, while not receiving any award, would be safer than the Honda Fit despite its “2013 TOP SAFETY PICK” award due to the Econoline’s solid design. However, despite those differences and any obvious apples to oranges comparisons, the top three are listed below based on their ratings.
Top Three Safest Cars in 2013
- 2013 Accura TL in the Midsize Luxury class
- 2013 Volvo S60 in the Midsize Luxury class
- 2013 Honda Accord 4-door in the Midsize Moderately Priced Cars class
Each vehicle earned a “good” rating in all five tests and earned a “2013 TOP SAFETY PICK+” award. The top honors went to the Acura TL over the Volvo S60 because the Acura TL’s has maintained top safety ratings for every test it has been subjected to since its debut in 2004, and, therefore, has the better safety pedigree. The Volvo S60 scored an “acceptable” rating on the side impact test for all models from 2005 to 2009.
NOTE: the new test called the “side overlap frontal” test was not applied to all vehicles, but it will be applied to more models over the course of the year. As soon as the test is applied to all vehicles, more top safety awards will be achieved.
Based on the safety test for 2013, the top two rankings went to luxury cars. This once again proves that when it comes to safety, you get what you pay for.
Connor is a automobile enthusiast and enjoys blogging about the auto industry. For more information on insuring these types of cars take look at Acceptance Car Insurance.