These are the 10 safest cars you can buy right now

WITH VEHICLE safety advancing at a rate of knots, 2018 saw many new cars perform incredibly well in their official crash tests.

Of the 23 cars assessed by Euro NCAP in 2018, a whopping 16 were given the full five-star rating, with many performing particularly strongly in occupant and pedestrian safety.

Making that even more impressive is that the European testing procedure was made tougher last year, making these high-scoring models “some of the safest ever made, anywhere in the world”, according to Matthew Avery, Director of Research at Thatcham, the UK car safety body.

To highlight 2018’s top performers, Thatcham has revealed the new cars that received the highest overall safety scores last year.

10 Ford Focus (81%)

It’s one of the UK’s most popular models, so it’s very reassuring that the current Ford Focus is also one of the safest new cars you can buy. On top of scoring very well in adult and child occupant protection, the Ford Focus also comes with very advanced safety tech as standard – with Thatcham Research’s Matthew Avery praising in particular the “class-leading” steering and braking assists.

Read the Ford Focus’ Euro NCAP safety test report here.

9 Nissan Leaf (82%)

The first new car to undergo Euro NCAP’s new testing procedure last year, the pure-electric Nissan Leaf ended up being one of the safest cars to be assessed last year. So high was that initial bar set by the Nissan, only eight cars would end up having a higher overall score in 2018.

Read the Nissan Leaf’s Euro NCAP safety test report here.

8 Jaguar I-Pace (84%)

Jaguar’s first pure-electic car had a storming debut year. The pure-electric Jaguar I-Pace was crowned Green Car of the Year and the overall Car of the Year in Sunday Times Driving’s inaugural Motor Awards, along with countless other accolades. It also picked up the highest safety score awarded to any pure-electric car last year.

Read the Jaguar I-Pace’s Euro NCAP safety test report here.

7 Volvo S60/V60 (85%)

Euro NCAP has awarded every Volvo it’s tested a five-star rating, so it’s perhaps no surprise the Scandinavian car maker’s S60 saloon and V60 estate made it onto this list. In true Volvo fashion, the two cars scored consistently well in all four criteria, with particularly strong performances in adult and child occupant protection.

Read the Volvo S60’s Euro NCAP safety test report here, and the Volvo V60’s safety test report here.

6 Peugeot 508 (85%)

As well as being a handsome car that’s great fun to drive, the Peugeot 508 earns brownie points by being one of the safest cars you can buy right now. In particular, the smartly-styled saloon was praised for its passenger protection: child safety was described as “optimal” by Thatcham Research, and only one car in 2018 surpassed the Peugeot 508’s mighty 96% adult occupant protection rating.

Read the Peugeot 508’s Euro NCAP safety test report here.

5 Audi A6 (85%)

Yet another car to earn an overall 85% score in 2018, the Audi A6 also has one of the highest safety ratings out of any executive car that Euro NCAP assessed last year. Being remarkably consistent across the board certainly helped; the Audi A6 was one of only three vehicles to be rated at least 80% in the adult, child and pedestrian safety categories.

Read the Audi A6’s Euro NCAP safety test report here.

4 Volvo XC40 (86%)

In the incredibly crowded compact SUV market, the Volvo XC40 stands out with its incredibly high safety rating. Though it received good scores in areas such as pedestrian safety and technology, it appears the Volvo excels in passenger safety – with a score of 97%, the XC40 has the highest adult occupant protection score of any car assessed by Euro NCAP last year.

Read the Volvo XC40’s Euro NCAP safety test report here.

3 Lexus ES (87%)

If you’re after a large family car that majors on safety, the Lexus ES is the vehicle for you, as no other model in this segment received a higher Euro NCAP rating in 2018. As with all the cars in the top 10, the Lexus performed strongly across the board, though the ES is noteworthy for being the only car last year to score at least 90% in pedestrian safety.

Read the Lexus ES’ Euro NCAP safety test report here.

2 Audi Q3 (87%)

Considering the calibre of cars being assessed in 2018 and the new, tougher testing procedure, the Audi Q3 performed incredibly well to be awarded the joint-second-highest Euro NCAP score last year. With a rating of 85%, the premium compact SUV also had the highest rating in 2018 for safety assist technology.

Read the Audi Q3’s Euro NCAP safety test report here.

1 Mercedes-Benz A-Class (90%)

Despite being one of the most affordable cars in the top 10, the Mercedes-Benz finished 2018 with the highest overall crash test score that was awarded by Euro NCAP. Even more impressively, the A-Class was the only car assessed last year that scored at least 90% in the Adult Occupant, Child Occupant and Pedestrian Safety categories.

Read the Mercedes-Benz A-Class’ Euro NCAP safety test report here.

And the least safe car of 2018: Fiat Panda

The only car in 2018 to be “awarded” a zero-star safety rating, the Fiat Panda joins the Fiat Punto in being the only cars in Euro NCAP history to earn such a low score. If the supermini hadn’t been fitted with a seat belt reminder warning system, the Fiat Panda wouldn’t have earned any points at all in the safety technology category.

Read the Fiat Panda’s Euro NCAP safety test report here.

Tweet to @J_S_Allen Follow @J_S_Allen

The best new cars coming in 2019-2020

The best new electric cars with 0% APR finance in October 2023

Euro NCAP crash test demonstrates the deadly safety of old cars