Unfortunately, choosing a safer vehicle can sometimes be a costly proposition. Slideshow . Its petrol and diesel engines are now supplemented by 48V mild-hybrid architecture in a bid to improve fuel economy, and there’s an excellent P300e plug-in hybrid version available, too. The Skoda Kodiaq’s arrival saw Skoda climb into the SUV ring for the first time in 2016. The 55 TFSIe is a particularly smooth operator, with its electric motor and 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-pot combining to produce a compelling 362bhp and 369lb ft. Keep its battery topped up and you’ll be able to make the most of its potential 26-mile range - and see your fuel bills drop in the process. In 2016 ANCAP gave the Tiguan a score of 96 per cent for adult occupant protection, 84 per cent for child occupant protection, 68 per cent for safety assist and 62 per cent for pedestrian protection. They also come standard with “superior” rated accident avoidance systems that can automatically apply the brakes to avoid a crash or reduce speeds by at least 5 mph in two tests conducted at 12 and 25 mph. Save money with new Stelvio deals from What Car? Still, it’s one for the keener driver, without question. Save money with new Sorento deals from What Car? Still, as a practical, well-made, well-equipped and sensibly priced family SUV that’s easy to drive, it has a lot going for it. The Discovery Sport might be the entry-level Land Rover in the showroom range, but it isn't short on trademark Land Rover capability, comfort or charm. It's not the last word in driver appeal, but as a slick, comfortable family wagon, there’s plenty to recommend here. You may opt-out by. That’s because where they’re offered, autonomous braking systems are often optional, and at that can be bundled in costly packages that may be limited to only the most-expensive trim levels in a given model line. The midsize Acura RDX is an amenable and reasonably fun to drive midsize crossover. The least expensive vehicle in this regard for 2019 is the compact Kia Forte sedan with a base MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price) of $18,585, which includes the mandatory destination charge. We're featuring them in the accompanying slideshow. 9 Safest Luxury SUVs Of 2019. That importance is underestimated by manufacturers at their peril, given that the segment has effectively obliterated the MPV market and is only expected to grow in the future. The nonprofit testing agency collected more data on the most reliable SUVs. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that if installed on all vehicles, crash-avoidance technology could prevent more than 2.7 million crashes, 1.1 million injuries and nearly 9,500 deaths annually. Aside from the slightly over-firm and remote way in which the Kodiaq drives, though, there's little room for improvement. The top four SUVs on this list all have better-balanced handling and ride quality than the Kodiaq, but not all of them offer a third row of seats. It's priced fairly competitively, too. Jaguar takes a typically sporting approach with the F-Pace, but it isn't quite enough … These days it sits in the range above the smaller Skoda Karoq and is a real grown-up SUV … The updated Mercedes GLC, with its well-appointed and luxurious-feeling interior, deserves its place in the top 10, but its numb steering means it's far from the first choice for keen drivers. The X3 has powertrains with top-drawer driver appeal, even if the smaller diesel offerings can be a touch unrefined when pushed. Top Safety Pick. Top Safety Pick. Being a Volkswagen Group product, this Spanish SUV shares practically everything with the Skoda Kodiaq although, unlike its sibling, the Tarraco comes equipped with seven seats as standard across the range. In. These Are The Safest 2019 Cars And Crossovers For The Money It's hard to pick faults with such a classy and consummate all-rounder as the Audi Q5, although slightly anodyne handling is what will prevent the car from really appealing to keener drivers. Alfa Romeo took the platform and engines that made the Giulia, added some ride height and four-wheel-drive technology and created a fine-handling SUV in the shape of the Stelvio. The good news: Several popular models cracked the top 10, joining consumers’ favorite SUVs of the decade. It feels a touch more incisive and agile than other SUVs of its size, but this sharper handling does seem to come at the expense of rolling refinement and outright comfort. While the latest high-tech headlight designs indeed to a better job of illuminating a darkened road, for our money forward auto-braking is a more-critical safety feature. I’m a veteran Chicago-based consumer automotive journalist devoted to providing news, views, timely tips and reviews to help maximize your automotive investments. As is typically the case, however, be aware that not all 2019 models are tested. The IIHS focuses its efforts on the industry’s highest volume models, which tends to leave out higher-priced limited-production luxury and sports cars. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Admittedly, the plug-in X3 xDrive30e PHEV might not shine quite as bright as its conventionally powered range-mates dynamically, but in all other areas, the X3 is a winner, and a close-run second to the Audi Q5. The safest new cars you can buy in 2020 come from Honda, Kia, Lexus, Lincoln, Genesis, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, and Subaru. It's more car-like to drive than many of the full-blown SUVs on this list, but it also rides less serenely than a Mercedes-Benz should on standard steel coil suspension, making it harder to recommend in base spec. We will use your information to ensure you receive messages that are relevant to you. We’ll let you know what they’re like as soon as we've driven them. Derived from the Honda CR-V compact SUV, the RDX is well-equipped for the price. The Tarraco is Seat's first attempt at a full-sized SUV and it’s a pretty good looking one. The following slides will take a close look at crossovers and SUVs with the best safety credentials, based on our scoring methodology. It’s a heavy hitter with 290hp, but it prioritizes ride quality, with smooth handling and effortless acceleration. It's priced reasonably competitively, though, if not quite to the extent that it was at its launch three years ago. Dominated by premium offerings, this chart is populated by some of the best family cars on the road – vehicles that can cope with the school run as well as tackling wintery conditions, mildly rugged terrain, trips to the tip, towing duties and long-distance motorway cruising. “Plus” rated models received top “good” marks in all of the IIHS’ crashworthiness tests, including the small overlap tests that replicate hitting a tree or light pole. Porsche Taycan Review: Is The Entry Level EV The Pick Of The Bunch? U.S. News & World Report uses crash test information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and also considers each vehicle’s list of standard advanced safety systems. This plus its roomy, well-padded interior (seating seven comfortably) makes it ideal for long road trips. Fortunately, this was the only bad news. The Kodiaq is our top family SUV not to come from a premium manufacturer and it undercuts even the cheapest of the plusher offerings on this list by a not insignificant sum. Keeping in step with the times, there are now a couple of plug-in hybrid versions available as well. Save money with new X3 deals from What Car? I’m a veteran Chicago-based consumer automotive journalist devoted to providing news, views, timely tips and reviews to help maximize your automotive investments. It’s still higher-riding than many of its opponents, affords better visibility and 4x4 capability than many, and feels more like a traditional SUV to drive than some while still handling in an impressively tidy fashion. In 2019, Consumer Reports gave over 15 SUVs the lowest rating (“poor”) for the year. In addition to posting on Forbes.com, I'm a regular contributor to Carfax.com, Motor1.com, MyEV.com and write frequently on automotive topics for other national and regional publications and websites. There is a but, though. The very smooth, capable, and sweet-sounding V6 is a bit more … What's this: a decent-handling mid-range SUV? If you want a family SUV with more off-road ruggedness than the class average, the Discovery Sport delivers that with very few associated compromises. © 2021 Forbes Media LLC. It's a hotly contested and strategically important segment where style, safety and space rank at the top of the agenda for buyers and, often, room for seven occupants is required. Side-impact tests, on the other hand, can be readily compared across vehicle size and weight classifications due to the manner in which they are conducted. Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport 2021 UK review, Skoda Octavia Estate 1.0 TSI e-TEC 2021 UK review, Cupra Formentor e-Hybrid VZ2 245PS DSG 2021 UK review, The Tarraco is Seat's first attempt at a full-sized SUV, Audi Q5 2.0 Tdi Quattro S Line Plus 5dr S Tronic, Audi Q5 2.0 Tdi [190] Quattro S Line Plus 5dr, Audi Q5 2.0 Tdi [190] Quattro S Line Plus 5dr S Tronic. Save money with new Q5 deals from What Car? Despite a lack of variety in the styling and approach taken by many, it's now a fairly diverse segment that has attracted different brands into the fold of SUV making. This shortcoming hasn’t prevented the Q5 from emulating the sales success of its predecessor, a car that became the best-seller in its segment in nearly every country in which it was offered. Save money with new GLC deals from What Car? Save money with new Tarraco deals from What Car? And, given the laws of physics, be aware that frontal crash test results can only be accurately compared among same-size vehicles; this means a top-rated compact car will not necessarily offer the same level of occupant protection as a larger sedan or SUV in a given collision. Save money with new Kodiaq deals from What Car? Save money with new XC60 deals from What Car? Top Safety Pick. The diesel models offer decent refinement and performance, too. You can unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe mechanism on any email you receive from us. Still, the interior is well finished and the petrol and diesel motors are impressively refined. It has a practical interior - a huge selling point in this segment - that has now been given a much needed lift in premium appeal. It’d arguably be more of a head-over-heart choice than any other car on this list, but there’s nothing much wrong with that. Proving that more money doesn’t always mean more safety, the new generation Volkswagen Tiguan mid-sized SUV arrived in Australia in 2016 armed to the grille with safety gear. Before BMW set about making SUVs, the idea would have been borderline laughable - but the BMW X3 has handling appeal down, and then some. The second half of our top 10 is where the handling element sorts the class leaders from the also-rans. Acura RDX. 2 / 11. Standard equipment is a bit mean on some trim levels, but the car's perceived quality is above that of almost all others and its on-road manners are hard to fault, even on run-flat tyres. Although a pricey option with a long options list, the Q5 is quiet, practical and desirable, with outstanding driving refinement and material finish. The 2021 Hyundai Kona is among the top beautiful subcompact SUVs in the market, winning an award as a best buy for 2019 and 2020 for its efficiency, value, engaging nature, excellent warranty, and practicality. Save money with new F-Pace deals from What Car? Remarkable handling and typical Alfa Romeo film-star looks come as standard, with a strong if gruff diesel engine to boot. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Here are our favourites. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Unfortunately, Alfa's focus on decent handling has resulted in a slightly restless ride on poorer UK roads, and some of the cabin materials feel plain and cheap - just as they do on the Giulia. Its conventional hybrid powertrain isn’t quite capable of delivering the gains in fuel efficiency you might hope to see during city driving, and dynamically it’s nothing to write home about, either. There are one or two details that detract a little from the overall driving experience: among them some undistinguished four-cylinder diesel engines, a hesitant automatic gearbox and a slightly jittery, noisy ride in certain specifications. There's room for improvement, too, in the car's steering. To learn more about how we use the information you provide to us please see our. It was the safest car ever tested by Euro NCAP at its launch in 2017, and all this time later, it’s still one of the most handsome family SUVs currently on sale. To help isolate the best values safety-wise, we whittled the IIHS’ extended array of top-rated rides down to a short list of 21 models – all starting at less than $50,000 – that receive top marks in all crash tests and include high-speed forward auto braking as standard equipment. Numerous premium brands claim they make the best family SUV but we can now put that argument to rest with our definitive top 10 list, Haymarket Media Group, publishers of Autocar takes your privacy seriously. Facelifted for 2019, the Discovery Sport now sits on the same PTA platform as the Range Rover Evoque but hasn’t lost out on any of the characteristics we liked about the original. It gets top … Save money with new Discovery Sport deals from What Car? Many models are now available as tax-friendly plug-in hybrids too, as manufacturers scramble to grab a bigger slice of the increasingly emissions-conscious fleet market. The 2019 MDX is a well-rounded luxury crossover, an excellent choice for families who value safety, comfort, and utility. In Pictures: 21 Safest 2019 Cars And Crossovers For The Money. So what are you sacrificing? With an appealingly affordable price, it would seem on the surface that there’s very little this handsome Korean SUV can’t do. Volvo has revised its engine line-up, too, so that all XC60 variants now offer some form of electrification. You can find full list of the IIHS’ recommendations for 2019 and past model years here. 2019 Honda Insight The newest addition to the IIHS honour roll, the brand-new 2019 Insight was given the 2018 Top Safety Pick+ rating just this week. A chunk of premium-feel materials for a start, although everything feels well screwed together. I write about how to maximize your automotive investment and more. 2019-20 Ford Edge 4-door SUV with specific headlights; applies only to vehicles built after March 2019. My work also appears in newspapers across the U.S., syndicated by CTW Features. 1 / 11. In a car such as this, comfort and refinement should arguably be of greater focus. The F-Pace was facelifted in late 2020 and the new models - including a new plug-in hybrid - are due to arrive imminently. Well, the Sorento has really come a long way since the bland, boxy original model that turned up in 2002, hasn’t it? The go-faster F-Pace SVR is an absolute riot, too, and is a fine example of a brilliantly executed performance SUV. Auto safety remains a paramount concern among new vehicle buyers, and to the industry’s credit, a record 57 cars and crossover SUVs from the 2019 model year have earned either “Top Safety Pick” or “Top Safety Pick+” honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Thanks to its cavernous interior and seven-seat layout, it wins serious points for being one of the most spacious, practical and versatile cars on this list. But the F-Pace is still a fine-handling car and a very creditable achievement for Jaguar. Audi replaces the best-selling Q5 SUV with a model very much on the same theme, but does more sophistication make it a more compelling option than the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC or the Volvo XC60? Sunday Drive: 2021 Volkswagen Arteon Gives Lesson In Style, Bugatti Pur Sport Mountain Drive: Outrageous Performance In Every Measure, World’s Quickest Production Car, Honda Reveals New CEO To Boost Electric Vehicle Strategy, Five Mars Rover Technologies That Could Be In Your Next Car, How To Stay Safe On The Highway In A Blizzard Or Sub-Zero Temperatures, Rally-Ready Porsche 911 Turbo Revealed By Ruf And Marc Philipp Gemballa, 2021 Bentley Bentayga: The Luxury SUV’s Best Feature Is Hidden, McLaren Artura Hybrid Supercar Gets 671-hp, Electric Drive And Computer Chip Embedded Tires. On design appeal alone, this new fourth-generation model easily has what it takes to mix it with the genuine premium players in this class. The ‘B'-series petrol and diesel models now have 48V mild-hybrid architecture for fractional reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, but it’s the T6 and T8 Recharge plug-in hybrids that offer the greatest potential for low-cost running. On optional air suspension, though, it's among the most laid-back, effectively comfort-oriented cars in the class - and well worth considering. It’s refined and comfortable enough at a steady cruise, but dig a little deeper and it begins to show itself up - particularly where body control is concerned. Jaguar's first SUV is a doozy, with remarkable handling, plenty of cabin space and looks that rocketed it to the top of Jag's range as its best-selling model until it was overtaken by the smaller E-Pace. A facelift during 2020 improved things ever so slightly in this respect and added a new infotainment system and improved driver aids, but it’ll still take a keen eye to spot the differences between this and the original. Are you as passionate about cars as we are? 2019-20 Honda Pilot 4-door SUV Top Safety Pick + 2020 Hyundai Palisade 4-door SUV with specific headlights. 2019-20 Honda Passport 4-door SUV applies only to vehicles built after June 2019. What’s more, they receive top ratings for standard or optional headlight performance. An oily-bits facelift could easily rectify its main problems. What’s more, some new or fully redesigned vehicles have yet to be out through their paces, so expect periodic updates from the IIHS over the course of the coming months as additional testing is conducted. Slides will take a close look at crossovers and SUVs with the times, there 's room for improvement for! Be aware that not all 2019 models are tested 2019 and past model years here with smooth handling and Alfa... Typically the case, however, be aware that not all 2019 models tested... For 2019 and past model years here quality, with smooth handling and effortless acceleration at! Specific headlights ; applies only to vehicles built after June 2019 our top 10 joining... 2019, Consumer Reports gave over 15 SUVs the lowest rating ( “ poor ” ) the... The nonprofit testing agency collected more data on the most reliable SUVs is. 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