Safest Car Brands 2017: A Comprehensive Guide to Protecting What Matters Most

Safest Car Brands 2017: A Comprehensive Guide to Protecting What Matters Most cars.truckstrend.com

In the dynamic world of automotive engineering, safety is not merely a feature; it is a fundamental pillar upon which trust and reliability are built. For consumers in 2017, understanding which car brands led the charge in vehicle safety was paramount, offering peace of mind on every journey. The year 2017 represented a significant point in automotive safety, where advancements in both passive (crashworthiness) and active (crash avoidance) technologies were becoming more refined and widely available. This article delves into the landscape of automotive safety in 2017, highlighting the brands that excelled, the technologies that defined this era, and the crucial insights needed to make an informed decision for safeguarding occupants.

The importance of choosing a safe vehicle cannot be overstated. Accidents, while hopefully rare, are an unfortunate reality of road travel. A vehicle designed with superior safety in mind can drastically reduce the risk of injury or fatality for its occupants and, increasingly, for pedestrians. In 2017, safety went beyond robust construction; it encompassed intelligent systems designed to prevent collisions from happening in the first place. For anyone purchasing a new or used car from that model year, this guide serves as a detailed resource to navigate the complexities of automotive safety.

Safest Car Brands 2017: A Comprehensive Guide to Protecting What Matters Most

Understanding Car Safety Ratings in 2017

To identify the safest car brands of 2017, it’s essential to understand the primary organizations responsible for evaluating vehicle safety and the criteria they used. Two key institutions stood out:

1. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS): The IIHS is an independent, non-profit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries, and property damage from motor vehicle crashes. In 2017, their ratings were highly influential.

   • Crashworthiness Tests: These included moderate overlap front, small overlap front (driver and passenger side), side, roof strength, and head restraints & seats. Vehicles were rated "Good," "Acceptable," "Marginal," or "Poor."
   • Front Crash Prevention: This assessed active safety systems like automatic emergency braking (AEB) and forward collision warning. Ratings were "Superior," "Advanced," or "Basic."

   

   • Headlight Ratings: Introduced more widely in recent years, headlight performance became a significant factor, rated "Good," "Acceptable," "Marginal," or "Poor."
   • Top Safety Pick (TSP) and Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+): To qualify for TSP in 2017, a vehicle needed "Good" ratings in all five crashworthiness tests and an "Advanced" or "Superior" rating for front crash prevention. For TSP+, it needed "Good" ratings in all crashworthiness tests, an "Advanced" or "Superior" rating for front crash prevention, AND "Good" or "Acceptable" headlight ratings.

2. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA conducted crash tests and assigned star ratings.

   • Overall Vehicle Score: A comprehensive rating from 1 to 5 stars, based on performance in frontal, side, and rollover crash tests. A 5-star rating was the highest possible.
   • Specific Test Scores: Separate star ratings were given for frontal crash (driver and passenger), side barrier, side pole, and rollover resistance.

By cross-referencing the results from both IIHS and NHTSA, consumers could gain a comprehensive picture of a vehicle’s safety performance.

Key Safety Technologies of 2017

The year 2017 saw a continued evolution of safety technologies, moving beyond passive protection to active prevention.

Passive Safety Features (Crashworthiness):

• Advanced Airbag Systems: Multiple airbags (front, side-impact, curtain, knee airbags) designed to deploy strategically based on impact severity and occupant position.
• High-Strength Steel & Crumple Zones: Intelligently engineered vehicle structures designed to absorb and dissipate crash energy away from the passenger compartment.
• Seatbelt Pretensioners & Load Limiters: Systems that tighten seatbelts instantly upon impact and then gradually release tension to reduce injury.

Active Safety Features (Crash Avoidance/Driver Assistance Systems – ADAS):

• Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB): Using sensors (radar, camera, or lidar), this system detects an imminent collision and can automatically apply the brakes if the driver doesn’t react in time. This was a game-changer and a key differentiator for top safety picks.
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW): Alerts the driver to potential front-end collisions.
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW) & Lane Keeping Assist (LKA): Alerts the driver if the vehicle drifts out of its lane and, in some cases, can gently steer the vehicle back.
• Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM): Alerts the driver to vehicles in their blind spot during lane changes.
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA): Warns of approaching vehicles when backing out of a parking spot.
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): Maintains a set speed and a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead, automatically adjusting speed.
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) & Traction Control (TC): Standard on all new vehicles by 2012, these systems help prevent skids and loss of control by applying individual brakes and/or reducing engine power.

The widespread availability and refinement of these ADAS features significantly contributed to the overall safety profile of vehicles in 2017.

Top Safety Performers: The Brands of 2017

While specific models within a brand will always have their own unique ratings, certain manufacturers consistently demonstrated a commitment to safety across their lineups in 2017, frequently earning IIHS Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ awards and high NHTSA scores.

• Subaru: Often considered a leader in safety, Subaru consistently earned multiple TSP+ awards for models like the Legacy, Outback, Forester, Impreza, and WRX when equipped with their EyeSight driver assist technology. Their commitment to standardizing safety features was notable.
• Volvo: Synonymous with safety for decades, Volvo continued its tradition with models like the S60, V60, S90, XC60, and XC90 earning top honors. Their S90 and XC90 were among the first to receive the IIHS TSP+ award with good headlight ratings.
• Hyundai/Genesis: Hyundai, including its luxury Genesis brand, made significant strides in safety. Models like the Elantra, Sonata, Santa Fe, Tucson, and the Genesis G80 and G90 frequently achieved TSP or TSP+ ratings, especially when equipped with their optional safety packages.
• Kia: As a sister brand to Hyundai, Kia also saw many of its models, such as the Forte, Optima, Sorento, and Sportage, earn high safety ratings, benefiting from similar advanced safety technologies.
• Honda: Honda had a strong showing with models like the Civic, Accord, CR-V, HR-V, Pilot, and Ridgeline receiving TSP or TSP+ ratings, particularly when equipped with Honda Sensing.
• Toyota/Lexus: Toyota and its luxury division Lexus also had numerous models earning TSP or TSP+ awards, including the Camry, Corolla, Prius, RAV4, Highlander, and the Lexus ES, IS, NX, and RX, often thanks to the Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P) and Lexus Safety System+ packages.
• Mazda: Mazda’s commitment to "Jinba Ittai" (horse and rider as one) extended to safety, with models like the Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-3, and CX-5 earning TSP+ awards when equipped with their i-Activsense safety features.
• Audi/Mercedes-Benz/BMW: While often associated with luxury and performance, these German premium brands also offered cutting-edge safety features, with many models achieving high ratings, though their advanced safety suites were often optional and added significantly to the cost.

Factors Beyond Brand: Model-Specific Safety

It is crucial to remember that safety ratings are almost always model-specific, and often trim-specific (depending on whether advanced safety features are standard or optional). A brand might have several top-rated vehicles but also some models that don’t perform as well in certain tests or lack crucial safety tech as standard.

Practical Advice and Actionable Insights for Choosing a Safe Car from 2017:

1. Prioritize IIHS Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+) and NHTSA 5-Star Ratings: These were the gold standard in 2017. Look for vehicles that achieved both.
2. Focus on Specific Safety Features: Don’t just rely on brand reputation. Verify that the exact model and trim you are considering has the critical ADAS features like Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and Forward Collision Warning (FCW). Good headlights (IIHS rating) are also important.
3. Consider Vehicle Size and Type: Generally, larger and heavier vehicles offer more protection in a collision than smaller, lighter ones, all else being equal. SUVs and larger sedans often performed well.
4. Check for Recalls: Before purchasing any used 2017 vehicle, check for open recalls using its VIN on the NHTSA website.
5. Test Drive with Safety in Mind: Pay attention to visibility, ease of use of safety features, and how the car handles.
6. Review Crash Test Details: Go beyond the star ratings. Read the full reports from IIHS and NHTSA to understand how the vehicle performed in specific crash scenarios.

Challenges and Evolving Safety

One of the challenges in 2017 was the varying availability of advanced safety features. While some brands began to standardize ADAS (like Subaru with EyeSight), many still offered them as expensive optional packages or only on higher trim levels. This meant that a "safe" model might only be truly safe if equipped with the right options. Another challenge was the rapid pace of technological change; what was cutting-edge in 2017 became more common and refined in subsequent years.

Safest Car Brands 2017: Summary Table

The following table provides a summary of top-performing brands in 2017 regarding safety, based on their consistent high ratings from IIHS and NHTSA.

Car Brand	Common 2017 Safety Achievements (Examples)	Key Safety Technologies (2017)	Notable Models (2017)
Subaru	Multiple IIHS TSP/TSP+ Winners (e.g., Legacy, Outback, Forester, Impreza)	EyeSight Driver Assist Technology (AEB, ACC, LDW, LKA), Symmetrical AWD	Legacy, Outback, Forester, Impreza, WRX
Volvo	Multiple IIHS TSP+ Winners (e.g., S60, V60, S90, XC60, XC90)	City Safety (AEB), Pilot Assist, Lane Keeping Aid, Run-off Road Mitigation	S60, V60, S90, XC60, XC90
Hyundai	Multiple IIHS TSP/TSP+ Winners (e.g., Elantra, Sonata, Tucson, Santa Fe)	Hyundai Smart Sense (AEB, LDW, BSM, RCTA)	Elantra, Sonata, Tucson, Santa Fe, Genesis G80/G90
Kia	Multiple IIHS TSP/TSP+ Winners (e.g., Forte, Optima, Sorento, Sportage)	Drive Wise (AEB, FCW, LDW, BSM, RCTA)	Forte, Optima, Sorento, Sportage
Honda	Multiple IIHS TSP/TSP+ Winners (e.g., Civic, Accord, CR-V, Pilot)	Honda Sensing (CMBS/AEB, RDM/LDW, ACC, LKA)	Civic, Accord, CR-V, HR-V, Pilot, Ridgeline
Toyota	Multiple IIHS TSP/TSP+ Winners (e.g., Camry, Corolla, Prius, RAV4, Highlander)	Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P) (Pre-Collision System/AEB, LDW, ACC)	Camry, Corolla, Prius, RAV4, Highlander
Mazda	Multiple IIHS TSP+ Winners (e.g., Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-5)	i-Activsense (Smart City Brake Support/AEB, MRCC/ACC, LDW, BSM)	Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-3, CX-5
Lexus	Multiple IIHS TSP/TSP+ Winners (e.g., ES, IS, NX, RX)	Lexus Safety System+ (Pre-Collision System/AEB, LDW, ACC, Auto High Beams)	ES, IS, NX, RX

Note: This table highlights general trends and examples for 2017. Specific model and trim levels must be verified for exact safety features and ratings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Safest Car Brands 2017

Q1: What’s the main difference between IIHS and NHTSA ratings for 2017?
A1: IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) focused on real-world crash scenarios (like the small overlap front test) and the effectiveness of active safety features (like AEB) and headlights. NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) used controlled crash tests to assign a 1-to-5 star rating based on frontal, side, and rollover performance. Both are important, but IIHS often pushed manufacturers to address specific vulnerabilities.

Q2: Does a luxury car brand automatically mean it’s safer for 2017?
A2: Not necessarily. While many luxury brands (like Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Lexus) offered advanced safety features, these were often optional and came at a premium. Some non-luxury brands (like Subaru, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda) standardized advanced safety features on more models or made them more accessible, earning them high safety ratings across their lineups. Always check specific model ratings.

Q3: Are vehicles from 2017 still considered safe today?
A3: Yes, many 2017 models, especially those that earned IIHS TSP+ or NHTSA 5-star ratings, still offer a very high level of safety. They include modern passive safety features and many of the early forms of ADAS. However, newer vehicles (2020+) have even more advanced and often standard ADAS, and some crash tests (like IIHS’s updated side test) are more stringent.

Q4: Can I add advanced safety features to a 2017 car that doesn’t have them?
A4: Generally, no. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) like AEB, ACC, and LKA are deeply integrated into the vehicle’s electrical and mechanical systems. Aftermarket solutions for these complex systems are not reliable or safe. However, you can add aftermarket blind-spot monitors or dash cams.

Q5: How important was Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) in 2017 safety ratings?
A5: AEB was critically important. IIHS required an "Advanced" or "Superior" rating for front crash prevention for a vehicle to qualify for a Top Safety Pick award. NHTSA also considered it a key safety technology. Its ability to prevent or mitigate collisions made it a standout feature.

Conclusion

The year 2017 marked a pivotal period in automotive safety, where the synergy of robust structural design and intelligent active safety systems truly began to mature and proliferate across various brands and models. Manufacturers like Subaru, Volvo, Hyundai, Kia, Honda, Toyota, and Mazda consistently demonstrated their commitment to occupant protection by earning top safety awards. For consumers looking at vehicles from this model year, the key takeaway is to look beyond brand reputation and delve into specific model ratings from reputable organizations like IIHS and NHTSA, paying close attention to the inclusion of advanced driver-assistance systems such as Automatic Emergency Braking. By prioritizing these proven safety metrics, you can confidently choose a vehicle from 2017 that continues to offer a high degree of protection for you and your loved ones on the road.