Nine car markers produced 16 models which gained top marks for used car safety, based on a study of crashes over 35 years.
The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) has released its latest ratings after analysing 9.4 million vehicles involved in police-reported crashes which injured 2.6 million road users in Australia and New Zealand from 1987 to 2022.
MUARC Director Professor Stuart Newstead said the updated ratings would empower consumers to make a safer choice both for them and the broader community.
Professor Newstead said the latest ratings showed a significant improvement in vehicle safety, with the average risk of death or serious injury for drivers in 2022 models reduced by 36 percent compared to those manufactured in 2002.
He said 534 vehicle models were rated out of five stars for Overall Safety, which reflected combined performance across Driver Safety, Other Road User Safety and Crash Avoidance.
“This provides consumers with 110 vehicles allocated a 5-star rating in a category.”
Professor Newstead there were 16 “Safer Pick” vehicles that received 5 stars in every category. They were (in alphabetical order):
- Audi A4/S4/RS4/All Road (MY 2008-2015).
- Honda Civic (MY 2016-2021).
- Honda Odyssey (MY 2013-2021).
- Hyundai Tucson (MY 2015-2020).
- Mazda 3/Axela (MY 2013-2019)
- Mazda 6/Atenza (MY 2012-2022).
- Mazda CX-5 (MY 2017-2022).
- Mercedes Benz CLA-Class C117/X117 (MY 2013-2019).
- Mercedes Benz E-Class W212/C207/A207 (MY 2009-2016).
- Mercedes Benz GLA-Class X156 (MY 2014-2019).
- Mitsubishi Outlander (MY 2012-2021).
- Subaru Impreza/XV (MY 2016-2022).
- Toyota Camry (MY 2017-2022).
- Toyota Corolla (MY 2018-2022).
- Volkswagen Tiguan (MY 2016-2022).
- Volkswagen Touareg (MY 2011-2019).
“For budget-conscious motorists, the ratings reveal that nearly all Safer Pick vehicles are available second-hand for under $25,000, with over half priced at $10,000 or less.”
Professor Newstead said medium and small SUVs had more models rated five-stars for Overall Safety, compared to small and medium cars, partly reflecting that the majority of these vehicles were newer.
“However, small SUVs and light cars had the worst occupant protection, largely due to their lighter weight and sometimes poor specification for safety equipment.”
He said commercial utes and people movers performed relatively poorly in occupant protection, despite being heavier.
“Of greater concern is the high risk of injury these vehicle types pose to other road users emphasising why crash avoidance technologies such as lane keep assist and autonomous braking are so important for these vehicle types.”
DOWNLOAD: Vehicle Safety Ratings Estimated From Police-Reported Crash Data. 2024 Evaluation
