Check Out These Pre-Owned SUVs With High Safety Ratings

There are many reasons to choose an SUV for your next vehicle—the incredible functionality they provide, the high position you get as a driver, and their gorgeous styling, to name a few. One of the most important things to consider when looking at used SUVs for sale is how well they can help protect you and keep you safer on the road.

It’s important to remember that nothing can replace safe, careful driving; at the end of the day, you’re in control of your vehicle, and everything you do impacts how safe you are while behind the wheel. That being said, some models do a better job than others to protect you, so those would be the ones worth looking for.

Every year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) puts vehicles through rigorous testing to see how safe they are. The IIHS is a nonprofit organization with a focus on scientific study and education to try to make vehicles as safe as possible. This might seem strange for a group backed by insurance companies, but fewer collisions mean fewer payouts for insurance, so it makes sense.

Since 2006, the IIHS has provided Top Safety Picks for each year, which are vehicles that deliver great safety features. This was enhanced in 2013 when the "Top Safety Pick+" designation was added as an even higher rating. Let’s take a look at the SUVs that received the highest safety ratings in 2015 and 2020 so you can watch for them when you're looking through used vehicle inventories.

2015 Ratings: Small SUVs

Starting things off, let’s look at those models that received a Top Safety Pick+ for 2015, which includes the 2016 Fiat 500X and the 2015 Honda CR-V. We should note that the IIHS rates vehicles from the current model year and upcoming year, depending on what they can get and what’s currently being sold at that time; that’s why you’ll see some different model years here and there.

Other small SUVs that received this top rating include the 2016 Hyundai Tucson, the 2015 and 2016 Mazda CX-5, the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander, and the 2015 Subaru Forester. In all of these instances, the rating was for models with an optional front crash prevention system—something like a forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.

A number of other small SUVs received a Top Safety Pick rating in 2015 from the IIHS but without the plus. These include the 2016 Audi Q3, the 2015 Buick Encore, and the 2015 Chevy Trax, the latter of which is a great one if you’re shopping for a small SUV on a budget but still want a vehicle that can protect your precious cargo.

The 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, the 2015 Nissan Rogue, and the 2015 Toyota RAV4 also were named as Top Safety Picks. You can find a lot of Rogue and RAV4 models when looking at used vehicles because they’re both very popular, so we’re happy to see they’re also quite safe.

2015 Ratings: Midsize SUVs

For midsize SUVs, only three models received a Top Safety Pick+ rating during the 2015 testing, starting with the 2016 Honda Pilot. This was joined by the 2015 Nissan Murano and the 2015 Toyota Highlander, which isn’t a surprise since these are brands and models well known for their impressive safety features.

Much like with the small SUVs, all three of these picks were for models with optional front crash prevention systems. In the years since then, we’ve seen this type of tech become standard on a lot of models in response to getting higher safety ratings when it was included to offer drivers a more secure experience.

This leaves a number of popular options that received a 2015 Top Safety Pick, including the Chevy Equinox, plus both the 2015 Ford Edge and Ford Flex. The 2015 GMC Terrain was also selected, which isn’t a surprise since it shares a platform with the Equinox, along with the 2016 Kia Sorento and the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder.

If you’re interested in a midsize SUV from 2015 or 2016 and don’t see it listed here, then you might want to look a bit closer at how well it’s performed in terms of safety because it might have a flaw or other issue holding it back.

2020 Ratings: Small SUVs

Moving up to 2020 now, we’re going to see how well vehicles fare compared to the 2015 ratings, which should make for some interesting comparisons. Overall, there are far more options for small SUVs that rated well, which we love to see.

Top Safety Pick+ vehicles include the 2020 and 2021 Mazda CX-3, the 2021 Mazda CX-30, and the 2020-21 Mazda CX-5. The 2020 and 2021 Subaru Forester earned a Top Safety Pick+ along with the 2021 Volvo XC40; these three are good models, but Mazda is the clear winner here.

A huge number of models were named Top Safety Picks for 2020—so many, in fact, that we’ll only go over some highlights. These include the Chevy Equinox, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and three Hyundai models: the Kona, Tucson, and Venue. The Kia Sportage made this list, along with the 2020 Mazda CX-30 and four Toyotas: the C-HR, RAV4, RAV4 Prime, and Venza.

One interesting thing to note is that many of these models only received their Top Safety Pick with specific headlights; many trims with standard LED reflector headlights received low scores, while available LED projector headlights provide greater illumination for a high rating.

2020 Ratings: Midsize SUVs

Finally, let’s have a look at midsize SUVs and their 2020 IIHS ratings. Quite a few models received a Top Safety Pick+ rating, which we love to see, including the 2020-21 Ford Explorer and the 2021 Hyundai Palisade. The 2020-21 Mazda CX-9 also received this status, which is no surprise considering how well small Mazda SUVs are rated, along with the 2021 Subaru Ascent and the 2021 Toyota Highlander.

Interestingly, the 2020 models for the Ascent and Highlander were Top Safety Picks, but not with a plus, due to the same headlight issues we saw in the small SUV category.

Other models that received a Top Safety Pick rating include the 2020-21 Ford Edge, the 2020 Hyundai Palisade and Santa Fe, and the 2020 Kia Sorento and Telluride. Some of the models we saw for 2015 changed categories (like the Chevy Equinox that was tested as a small SUV rather than midsize), which can make comparisons tricky.

We should note that, just like the small SUVs, many of these picks were also for models with LED projector headlights rather than reflector lights. These kinds of differences in rating (based on available options) often push manufacturers to make something standard rather than optional to ensure every version of a vehicle is as highly rated as possible.

We Value Your Safety Above All Else

Looking at these ratings, it’s easy to see that safety is something the auto industry takes seriously, and manufacturers work hard to achieve and maintain the status of a model as a Top Safety Pick+.

This isn’t the only rating system, though, as there are also stars awarded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) based on their testing of vehicle safety. These two systems are the standard by which every passenger vehicle in the US is considered and compared, which makes it easy to look up a model you’re interested in to see how it rates.

We always recommend spending a little time researching any used model that you're interested in to ensure you’re getting a safe vehicle and not just one that’s fun to drive. Of course, we’re also happy to help with any questions you have and assist you in finding the perfect vehicle that will treat you well for many years to come.