Thatcham Research has unveiled the ten cars on the WhatCar? longlist for its Safety Award 2018.
Subaru, Volkswagen and Volvo both have two cars on the list, while Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Vauxhall all have one model.
The Arteon and T-Roc have been VW’s main releases this year, the V90/S90 and XC60 have headlined the year for Volvo. Subaru’s latest Impreza and XV crossover also made the longlist.
The Honda Civic, Mercedes-Benz X-Class, Toyota C-HR and Vauxhall Insignia also made the list.
Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham Research, said: “The top ten safest cars of the year all have standard-fit Lane Keep Assist systems. These systems actively steer away from road edges and lane markings to prevent dangerous ‘run-off road’ and head-on accidents.
“With six per cent of A-Road crashes involving head-on collisions, this should be the next life-saving technology fitted by carmakers who want to signal their intent to prioritise driver safety.”
Avery added: “Drivers buying a new car should expect Autonomous Emergency Braking on their vehicle. It’s now an essential standard-fit safety system, just like the seatbelt. If the car doesn’t have AEB? Walk away and find one which does.”
“The future of car safety is in the technology. A five-star Euro NCAP rating guarantees drivers a safe car. But some are still safer than others and this award is about celebrating those carmakers who continue to push the boundaries of safety, going above and beyond even the exacting levels that a five-star Euro NCAP rating demands.”
Why not check out the full list of the safest cars to buy in 2017
