Despite the ongoing economic malaise, America’s love for its automobiles continues unabated and Americans have spent the first few months of 2018 flocking to the latest auto shows and placing orders for their new dream machines. There are numerous factors involved in choosing a new car, but on America’s ever more crowded highways, keeping yourself and your family safe in the event of an incident has to be right at the top of the list.
Part of the reason car sales have remained so healthy is the availability of easy credit over recent years. Even now, with the treasury rates gradually increasing, sales teams are constantly finding new ways to keep the car industry buoyant, often promoting incentives to keep buyers interested. These factors mean there is no need to compromise on safety for financial reasons. So let’s take a look at the safest automobiles on the US market.
Hyundai Leads the Way
The automotive world is full of surprises. You’d probably expect the safest car to be something from one of the established European manufacturers such as Mercedes or Volvo. They are all up there in the list, but have been outdone from the most unlikely direction. Hyundai has come a long way since entering the US market in the 1980s and when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 15 automobiles on the US market that have achieved its coveted top safety rating of Top Safety Pick Plus, six of them were from the Korean manufacturer.
Hyundai’s Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport were rated the safest SUVs, while the inclusion of four models from Hyundai’s Kia and Genesis range meant that the manufacturer dominated the safety ratings.
The Kia Forte and Kia Soul are two budget models that prove cheap cars can still be safe cars, while the Genesis G80 and G90 represent Hyundai’s foray into the luxury car market and are attracting a growing following.
An Evolving Market
Back in the 1980s, cars like the Hyundai were no-frills transportation that would get you to your destination but scored low on every other level, including driver and passenger safety. These latest safety ratings show just how far the manufacturer has come in a relatively short time. We can only wait and see what the next generation of vehicles will have to offer.