Safest Car You Can Buy Is Cheaper Than You Think
A study found the safest car according to statistics and it only costs $25k
A study by Good Guys Injury Law has looked at the safety records of 10 affordable cars sold in the US, using five years of real-world fatal crash data, vehicle sales figures and safety ratings to find the safest car.
The study is particularly relevant to American buyers ahead of a proposed 50% tariff on cars and automotive parts imported from Canada, which is scheduled to take effect in January 2027.
For Malaysian readers, however, the list is also interesting because several of the models are familiar names here, including the Toyota Corolla Cross, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-30, Kia Seltos and Hyundai Kona.
The study compared each model’s number of fatal crashes against its total sales over five years, producing a fatal crash rate per 100,000 vehicles sold. It also considered NHTSA safety ratings, IIHS crash-test results and 2026 IIHS award status.
Here is how the 10 models compared:
| Model | US starting price | 5-year sales | NHTSA rating | Fatal crashes per 100K |
| Toyota Corolla Cross | US$25,235 | 320.8K | 5 stars | 12 |
| Mazda CX-30 | US$26,375 | 319.6K | 5 stars | 13 |
| Kia Seltos | US$25,285 | 273.1K | 4 stars | 27 |
| Hyundai Venue | US$20,550 | 118.0K | 4 stars | 44 |
| Hyundai Kona | US$25,350 | 389.7K | 5 stars | 49 |
| Honda HR-V | US$26,600 | 610.2K | 5 stars | 59 |
| Nissan Kicks | US$22,730 | 340.9K | 4 stars | 59 |
| Chevrolet Trax | US$21,700 | 485.6K | 4 stars | 95 |
| Mitsubishi Outlander Sport | US$24,995 | 109.6K | 4 stars | 188 |
| Chevrolet Trailblazer | US$23,300 | 400.8K | 5 stars | 30 |
The Toyota Corolla Cross recorded the lowest fatal crash rate in the study, at 12 per 100,000 vehicles sold making it the safest car here. There were 37 fatal crashes recorded among approximately 320,800 vehicles sold over the five-year period.
It was followed closely by the Mazda CX-30, which recorded 41 fatal crashes from around 319,600 sales, resulting in a rate of 13 per 100,000 vehicles. The CX-30 also received an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation and a five-star NHTSA rating.
The Kia Seltos came next at 27 fatal crashes per 100,000 vehicles, while the Hyundai Venue recorded 44. Despite having the lowest starting price in the study at US$20,550, the Venue had 52 fatal crashes across roughly 118,000 sales.
The Hyundai Kona recorded 49 fatal crashes per 100,000 vehicles, with nearly 390,000 units sold during the period. It also received a five-star NHTSA rating and an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation.
Further down the list were the Honda HR-V and Nissan Kicks, both at 59 fatal crashes per 100,000 vehicles. The Chevrolet Trax recorded 95, while the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport had the highest rate at 188.
Interestingly, the Chevrolet Trailblazer recorded 30 fatal crashes per 100,000 vehicles despite having around 400,800 sales, placing it below several models that had fewer fatal crashes in total.
It is worth noting that these figures are specific to the US market and the study’s methodology. The prices listed are US starting MSRPs and do not represent Malaysian pricing.
The study also does not mean that a vehicle with a lower fatal-crash rate will necessarily provide the same safety performance in every situation. It is a comparison based on the available crash, sales and safety data used by the researchers.
