Safety: 2005’s Top Safe Vehicles

Safety: 2005’s Top Safe Vehicles - The Car Connection Safety: 2005’s Top Safe Vehicles
When you're looking for five stars, look at these vehicles first.

by Eric Peters

(2005-04-18)

Everyone knows which cars are fast - Corvettes, Mustangs, Mitsubishi Evos - but which new cars are the safest cars on the road? According to government (www.nhtsa.dot.gov) and insurance industry (www.iihs.org) crash test data, the following cars are among the safest on the road in terms of their ability protect their occupants from being killed or injured in a crash:

Large sedans

Ford Crown Victoria/Mercury Grand Marquis (base price $24,410): These full-size, rear-drive sedans have long been at or near the very top of the list, offering room for six and standard V-8 power, in addition to being one of the safest places to be in during an accident, with a highest possible five-star rating for protection in frontal impacts and a best-possible "Good" rating from the IIHS in frontal offset crash testing. Sometimes, size does matter.

2005 Ford Crown Victoria by Eric Peters (11/22/2004)
The last of its kind, but a long life left in it.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (base price $50,500): Vault-like heavy steel construction and the presence of state-of-the-art passenger protection systems, including head and torso-protecting side-impact airbags, make the E-Class extremely safe at any speed. These features also helped earn the E-Class an IIHS "Best Pick" rating among cars in its price/size range.

2005 Mercedez-Benz E320 CDI by Marc K. Stengel (3/22/2004)
Diesel gains luster and appeal.

Volvo S80 (base price $36,365): Sweden 's biggest automaker continues to build some of the most crashworthy vehicles you can buy at any price. The S80 received the highest possible scores in both government and IIHS crash testing and offers buyers the flexibility of available all-wheel drive and fuel-efficient but powerful turbocharged in-line five- and six-cylinder engines.

2002 Volvo S80 2.9 Sedan by Paul Wiley Cockerham (2/11/2002)
Did someone say safe sex?

Mid-size sedans

2003 Honda Accord |

Honda Accord (base price $16,295): One of the safest and most affordable ways to carry your family, the Accord received a perfect five-star rating for both front and rear seat occupant protection in both frontal and side-impact crashes. New for '05 is a hybrid gas-electric powertrain option that pushes the fuel efficiency envelope to an economy car-like 40 mpg, but without compromising the inherently better occupant protection of a larger, mid-size car.

2004 Honda Accord Coupe by Bengt Halvorson (9/29/2003)
A bourgeois bargain calling out to a more sophisticated audience: Anyone out there?

Toyota Camry (base price $19,295): Available, with side curtain airbags - an unusual feature in the family-car class - the Camry earned five stars for front seat occupant protection in government crash tests and was named a "Best Pick" by the IIHS. The Camry also offers available high-end features such as a GPS navigation system, and a punchy 3.3-liter, 225-hp V-6 engine.

Mitsubishi Galant (base price $18,999): Comparable in size, roominess and power to the segment powerhouses - Honda's Accord and the Toyota Camry - the Galant also offers comparable levels of crash protection, earning a Five-Star rating in most crash tests and an overall IIHS Rating of "Good" (the highest possible) in a more aggressively styled, different drummer shape.

2004 Mitsubishi Galant by Marty Padgett (10/20/2003)
Moving from the grandstands to center court?

Small cars

2005 Chevrolet Cobalt |

Chevy Cobalt (base price $13,625): The successor to the Cavalier as Chevy's entry-level compact can be equipped with side-curtain airbags, and preliminary data indicates this model will score vastly better than its predecessor in government and IIHS crash testing. It can be equipped with a 205-hp supercharged engine in the sport-themed Cobalt SS.

2005 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Supercharged by John Pearley Huffman (1/3/2005)
About what you'd guess from 205 horsepower.

Toyota Corolla (base price $13,780): One of the most popular small cars ever built, the Corolla is also built to take a hit, with the latest "multi-stage" airbags that adjust the force of their deployment based on the severity of the crash. Corollas can also be equipped with electronic stability control, a very unusual feature in this price range. The Corolla earned the best-possible five-star rating in government crash testing.

2004 Toyota Corolla XRS by John Pearley Huffman (6/14/2004)
Finally, a Corolla that doesn't drive like every other Corolla.

Honda Civic (base price $13,960): Though it's about to be replaced by a redesigned model, the current Civic is still an exceptionally sturdy little car, earning a five-star rating for frontal impacts. Like the larger, more expensive Honda Accord, the Civic can also be ordered with a fuel-sipping hybrid gas-electric powertrain.

SUVs

Acura MDX (base price $36,900): This seven-passenger luxury SUV provides all-weather capability and the peace of mind of a five-star rating for superior protection in both frontal and side-impact crashes. The MDX also comes standard with a 265-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 engine and Variable Torque Management all-wheel drive.

2003 Acura MDX by Bob Hall (3/24/2003)
Same skin covers lots of changes.

2005 Lexus GX470 |

Lexus GX470 (base price $46,225): Though based on a truck, the Lexus GX470 is as safe (or safer) than many cars, earning the highest possible rating in IIHS frontal offset crash testing. Side-curtain airbags for front and rear passengers are standard equipment, as is stability control, a tire-pressure monitoring system and anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Assist to help slow the vehicle safely in panic stops.

2003 Lexus GX470 by John Pearley Huffman (11/25/2002)
Because there's no such thing as too many SUVs.

Volvo XC90 (base price $35,920): The "Volvo of SUVs" lives up to the company's reputation for putting safety first, with a standard gyroscopically controlled Roll Stability Control (RSC) system that uses the ABS/traction control system to prevent rollover accidents and deploys a three-row head/neck "curtain" airbag if such an accident cannot be avoided. An IIHS "Best Pick," the XC90 also offers a wide range of powertrains, from an economical five-cylinder to a growly 315-hp V-8.

2005 Volvo XC90 V-8 by Eric Peters (11/29/2004)
A transplant that suits the XC to a vee.

Minivans

2005 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD |

Toyota Sienna (base price $23,425): A perfect five-star performer, the Sienna is also a road-tripper of the first order, with spacious accommodations for eight passengers and all the bells and whistles including three-zone climate control, 14 cupholders, DVD entertainment system with wireless headphones, run-flat tires, and available all-wheel drive.

2004 Toyota Sienna by John Pearley Huffman (3/17/2003)
One step beyond the Odyssey?

Honda Odyssey (base price $25,195): Considered by many to be the finest minivan on the market, the Odyssey offers all the latest passive and active crash-avoidance and occupant protection equipment including Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), three-row side-curtain airbags with rollover sensors, and run-flat tires. The DVD entertainment system features a nine-inch monitor with wireless headsets and Surround Sound audio.

2005 Honda Odyssey by John Rettie (9/6/2004)
Being lazy serves Honda right.