Top 10 Safest New Cars

As far as vehicles have come in terms of safety over the recent years, there are still some that are safer than others.

To help identify the safest vehicles on the market, AutoGuide.com has compiled a list of 10 cars that received both a Top Safety Pick Plus rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Keep in mind that crossovers and SUVs aren’t included in this list and the cars are listed in alphabetical order by make.

The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu features an all-new 2.5-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine with 196 hp and gets up to 36 mpg on the highway. Priced from $23,165 including destination, the Malibu is one of the most affordable, safest cars available in today’s marketplace. Those that want more performance can opt for the 2.0-liter Ecotec turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 259 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque that gets up to 30 mpg on the highway.

The good-looking 2014 Ford Fusion is also one of the safest sedans available in today’s market and is available with a hybrid variant. The standard gasoline-powered Fusion starts from $22,795 while the Fusion hybrid is priced from $27,095. Several engines are available with the Fusion: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 175 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque, a 1.5-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder with 181 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque, a 1.6-liter EcoBoost with 182 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque and a 2.0-liter EcoBoost with 240 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque.

As for fuel economy, the Fusion ranges from 22 mpg city and 34 mpg highway up to 25 mpg city and 37 mpg highway. The Fusion hybrid gets 47 mpg in the city and on the highway.

Both the Honda Accord coupe and sedan have received a NHTSA five-star overall safety rating and IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus. The sedan is priced from $22,745 while the coupe starts at $24,415. For power, the base model Accord comes with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 185 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque while the more powerful V6 offers 278 hp and 252 lb-ft of torque.

Fuel economy when equipped with the four-cylinder engine and a CVT tops out at 27 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway while the V6 nets 21 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.

If you’re shopping for a safe and luxurious sedan, the Infiniti Q50 is a good starting point. Essentially a next-generation G37 sedan – though the G37 sedan is still being offered – the Q50 comes with a 3.7-liter V6 under the hood with 328 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. In terms of fuel economy, the Q50 gets 20 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway and sports a starting price tag of $38,055.

Another luxury sedan on the top 10 list is from American automaker Lincoln. The 2014 Lincoln MKZ comes standard with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine that gets 22 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway in front-wheel drive form. Available in all-wheel drive, that model is slightly less efficient on the highway at 31 mpg. The four-cylinder EcoBoost is good for 240 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque while a more powerful V6 is available with 300 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque (19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway FWD; 18 mpg city, 26 mpg highway AWD).

There is of course also the Lincoln MKZ hybrid with a 2.0-liter Atkinson Cycle four-cylinder powertrain with 141 hp and 129 lb-ft of torque. Both models have the same starting price of $36,085.

Voted AutoGuide.com‘s 2014 car of the year, the Mazda 3 is a sporty, fuel-efficient car available in both two- and four-door form. Two powerplants are available for the Mazda3: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 155 hp or a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 184 hp. Equipped with a manual transmission, the smaller engine is good for 29 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway (30 mpg city, 41 mpg highway with automatic) while the 2.5-liter with an automatic gets 28 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway. The 2014 Mazda3 i SV four-door starts from $17,740.

Always known for its safety, the 2014 Volvo S60 lives up to the brand’s reputation. The 2014 Volvo S60 T5 Drive-E comes standard with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 240 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque while the all-wheel-drive T5 is equipped with a 2.5-liter five-cylinder with 250 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque.

The range-topping T6 sports a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder under the hood with 302 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy with the Drive-E powerplant comes in at 25 mpg city, 37 mpg highway while the five-cylinder nets 20 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. As for the T6, it gets an attractive 24 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. The 2014 Volvo S60 T5 Drive-E starts at $34,225.