Shopping for a new car can be equal parts exciting and frustrating; looking at all your available options can be fun, but it can also be difficult to find one that meets your needs. If you are a new driver shopping for a vehicle, or a parent looking for a vehicle for your teen who just earned his or her driver’s license, safety and being car accident-free is likely one of your top priorities.
Newer drivers are statistically more likely to get into accidents than seasoned drivers, so vehicle safety should be a top priority for any new driver looking for a new car. Consider some of the following options of the safest new cars available in 2019 that would be ideal for a new driver.
2019 Honda Insight
The new Insight is the latest model to hit the market after a four-year absence. The construction is based on the immensely popular Honda Civic, but this is an electric model offering an ecologically friendly alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named the 2019 Insight one of the tops picks for safety thanks to a fantastic performance in collision tests.
2019 Genesis G80
The Genesis G80 may be on the expensive side for some new drivers at prices starting above $42,000 but it offers a tremendous number of safety features and assistive technologies that offer a safer driving experience. Some of these options include automated front braking, lane-departure warnings, and adaptive cruise control.
2019 Kia Forte EX (With Premium Plus Option Package)
The Kia Forte offers great value at an affordable price, but the safety rating is much better when you purchase the EX edition with the Premium Plus package. The additional safety features propel the sticker price for this vehicle around $26,000, but those features include HID headlights that bend for turns, automated braking functions, and lane-keeping assistive technology.
2019 Kia Sorento
This year’s model of the Sorento outperformed the 2018 model by a substantial margin in safety tests. The 2019 Sorento earned a “superior” rating for crash mitigation and crash avoidance from the IIHS and the vehicle features high-performance headlights and assistive technologies for drivers.
2019 Honda Pilot
This midsize SUV outperformed last year’s model and earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. This vehicle earned Superior scores in crash mitigation and crash avoidance and features similar safety options and assistive technology options to other 2019 Honda models.
2019 Toyota Avalon
The 2018 model of the Avalon earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, and the 2019 model performed even better in crash testing. The IIHS judges several safety metrics, and the 2019 Avalon earned an “Acceptable” rating for passenger-side crash testing and a “Good” rating for every other type of crash test. The 2019 Avalon also earned “Superior” ratings for crash mitigation and crash avoidance.
2019 Subaru Outback
Subaru has a long-standing reputation for the crash safety of their vehicles and the 2019 Outback is no exception. However, the 2019 Outback is available in several varieties and only the top-of-the-line model earns top safety ratings from the IIHS. The 2019 Outback 2.5i Limited with the EyeSight package includes a wide range of safety features and assistive technology including automated front and rear braking, lane-departure warnings, blind spot monitoring, and automatic high beams.
These are just a few of the best picks for safety among new 2019 vehicles. Ultimately, every car buyer has different needs and criteria in terms of price, performance, and options. A new driver may want to consider a used vehicle with a clean accident record and high safety rating; in the event of an accident, repair costs will likely be lower than for a brand-new vehicle.
Additionally, it will be much cheaper for a new driver to maintain insurance on an older vehicle. However, buying a new 2019 model with a very high safety rating could positively influence a new driver’s auto insurance premium rate.
