The safest new cars that are also the cheapest to insure
The good news is that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that traffic fatalities dropped by 2.4 percent during 2018, thanks in large part to the widespread availability of high-tech accident avoidance systems. The bad news is that 36,560 U.S. citizens still lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes last year.
Not surprisingly, a survey conducted by Consumer Reports found that auto safety remains a paramount concern among new-vehicle buyers. Those looking for a safer car should consult the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s safety ratings at iihs.org.
The top-performing vehicles receive the Institute’s Top Safety Pick+ designation. That means they earned a “good” score in each of its four stringent crash tests, and for roof strength and head restraints/seats. They also either come standard with or offer optional forward auto-braking systems that can avoid crashes in tests conducted at both 12 and 25 mph.
Getting top scores in all of those tests is enough to earn a vehicle a Top Safety
Pick rating without the “Plus.” To receive the Full TSP+ designation, a vehicle must be available with headlights that get top marks in the organization’s testing. That’s a critical, but often overlooked, element of auto safety. As of this writing, the IIHS has given 52 new vehicles Top Safety Pick+ designation.
One would expect to enjoy lower insurance rates by driving a vehicle that’s equipped with high-tech safety features, but that’s not necessarily the case. “One thing to keep in mind is that while sophisticated vehicle safety features are considered a bonus by insurance companies, they can also adversely affect insurance costs,” says Michelle Megna, managing editor of CarInsurance.com. “For instance, the cameras, sensors and computer parts within newer vehicles can potentially break with even the slightest fender bender, raising repair costs.
The experts at CarInsurance.com recently determined which of the highest-ranked models in the IIHS safety tests cost the least to insure, based on an average driver with a clean driving record and typical coverage. We’re featuring the cheapest–to-cover models for each vehicle category in the accompanying box. You can find the full list of all TSP+ models on the CarInsurance.com website.
Generally, vehicles that are the least expensive to purchase tend to be driven gently, and are more affordable to repair after a crash. They cost less to insure than expensive luxury cars that cost a fortune to fix, and red-hot sport coupes and
convertibles that beg to be piloted aggressively.
Your rates may not reflect the averages noted, however. In addition to the make and model of vehicle driven, insurance premiums are based mainly on an owner’s profile. Factors considered include one’s gender (men pay more), age (teens get the highest rates), credit history (lower scores mean costlier premiums), address (higher premiums for big-city dwellers), miles driven (driving less saves more), and one’s driving record (accidents and/or moving violations will cost you).
Also, auto insurance premiums can vary significantly from one carrier to another depending on a given motorist’s risk factors, so it always pays to shop around to find the lowest rates.