The Safest Car Brands in 2026 Have a Clear Winner

There are several factors to consider when buying a new vehicle, and one of the most important yet largely overlooked aspect is safety. Unlike things like styling, in-car tech or performance, a vehicle’s safety systems aren’t the sort of thing that can be appreciated, admired or even experienced, unless something untoward is about to happen.

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But safety isn’t just about passive and active driver assistance systems, it’s also about how a car handles and brakes, and whether the onboard technology aids or distracts you. Consumer Reports has compiled a new Safety Verdict rating based on a much broader range of factors than most generic safety assessments cover.

Which Brands Are The Safest In 2026?

Consumer Reports has conducted a comprehensive safety assessment of 29 car brands, rating them on several factors from emergency handling to driver assistance systems and IIHS crash test performance. The results below apply to each brand as a whole and have been divided into what percentage of each model range fits into the Basic, Better, and Best categories.

What The Categories Mean

A Basic rating means that a vehicle meets all of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) federal motor vehicle safety standards but falls short on several of CR’s core safety requirements.

A Better rating means that the vehicle has scored at least an average or higher score on CR’s independent braking, emergency handling, and routine handling tests, and a passing score on the rollaway prevention test. It also helps to have a curb weight over 2,500 pounds (but not too heavy as that can impact handling) as lighter vehicles tend to fare worse in collisions with heavier cars.

To achieve a Best rating requires every trim in that particular range to have standard highway-speed Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), blind spot warning (BSW), and rear cross traffic warning (RCTW). In addition the controls and infotainment system need to be straight-forward and not distracting, and the crash rating performance needs to be high in specific IIHS tests.

Where The Brands Rank

Mazda tops the charts thanks to fitting the vast majority of its model range with a full complement of safety systems, having dashboards and infotainment systems that are straight-forward to use, and vehicles that are dynamically competent in emergency situations. Genesis and Acura also score well, with none of their models falling into the Basic category. Some big manufacturers slot in way down the list, and this can be due to a variety of factors.

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Auto manufacturers with a range of models differing wildly in pricing and size can often deliver mixed results, and Audi, Kia, and Toyota fall into these categories. Their budget models bear very little in common with the range toppers, and so will have varying results when it comes to overall safety.

Even if a manufacturer has a mix of ratings within its model range, picking a model with a ‘Best’ safety rating will still result in a very safe vehicle. However, the lower you go in the overall rankings, the more important it is to make sure you pick the right model from that range.

Why Aren’t Some Of The Traditionally High Scoring Brands On Top?

Just because a vehicle has all the latest safety devices doesn’t automatically mean that it is going to score top marks. If the dashboard layout is awkwardly placed, major controls require navigating through sub-menus, or the vehicle exhibits poor handling during emergencies, it will be penalized. As CR explained, Tesla vehicles perform well in crash tests and have solid crash-prevention tech, but the central screen that drivers have to interact with for the vast majority of functions pulls it down the rankings.

“If controlling climate or audio functions distracts you from the task of driving, that’s a strike against safety,” says Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing at CR.

Some automakers also don’t include essential safety features as standard, making them optional or available only on higher trims. Others may have a range comprised mostly of large, cumbersome SUVs or trucks which will need more space to stop and have poor handling. Smaller vehicles can more easily avoid road hazards, but being too small also isn’t ideal, as they will suffer against a larger vehicle in the case of a serious impact.

Is My Car Safe?

While the data above refers to individual brands rather than individual models, the basics that make for a safe car are clear to see. If your vehicle has a comprehensive suite of safety features, performs well in IIHS crash testing, has nimble handling and doesn’t force you to take your eyes off the road for basic functions, then it is more likely to help keep you safe int eh case of an accident, and hopefully make it easier to prevent one happening in the first place.

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This story was originally published September 12, 2026 at 6:15 PM.