Mazda voted safest car brand ahead of Genesis and Acura
Safety is about more than just crash testing. A safe vehicle has predictable handling and braking, controls that don't distract the driver, accident-avoidance technologies—included as standard, not optional—and a design that protects occupants in the event of a collision.
That, at least, is the opinion of American magazine Consumer Reports, which this week published its first ever safety rankings, placing Mazda at the top of the list of car brands ahead of Genesis and Acura. The result may come as a surprise given that Mazda's infotainment system can sometimes be frustrating and distracting.
Three safety levels are determined: good, better, best. In the first case, we are talking about vehicles that meet minimum federal safety standards but do not offer the protections that Consumer Reports considers essential for all consumers. In the middle of the ranking, vehicles exceed the minimum requirements but may not be equipped with certain features as standard, may not have undergone certain recent crash tests, or may have distracting controls. Finally, vehicles that offer the best safety check all the boxes.
The table below shows how different brands rank, specifying the percentage of their model range that corresponds to each safety level:
Any other surprises?
Some brands that are usually known for safety don't do so well in Consumer Reports' rankings. Volvo is a good example. Several of its vehicles get the lowest score for ergonomics. “If adjusting the air conditioning or audio system distracts you from driving, that's a negative for safety,” says Jake Fisher, senior director of automotive testing.
Similarly, despite its good crash test results and effective collision avoidance technologies, Tesla appears at the bottom of the rankings. Why? Mainly because of the central screen, which controls the vast majority of functions and thus distracts the driver's attention from the road.
Subaru is not among the leaders, as some models do not come standard with blind spot warning or rear cross traffic alert, notes Consumer Reports, which points out that “safety should not be an option.”
Finally, it should be noted that SUVs and full-size pickup trucks are not considered among the safest vehicles, as they generally have longer braking distances and are less responsive in emergency situations, resulting in accidents that smaller vehicles would often avoid.
