Many cars are hailed for their horsepower or fancy interior technology, but fall short when it comes to protecting their passengers. It can be argued that safety is the most important aspect of a car, so it shouldn’t be treated as an afterthought. But do you truly have to sacrifice performance for safety?
The folks at FindTheBest crunched the numbers to find the SUV/crossovers that offer the best of both worlds. These cars score the highest in each of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s four rating categories, as well as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s rating.
They are ordered by FindTheBest’s Smart Rating, which is determined based on expert reviews, safety and depreciation.
2014 Acura MDX
Smart Rating: 95
Price (MSRP): $42,290
Overall MPG: 24 MPG
Power: 290 HP
Torque: 267 FT-LBS
2014 Volvo XC60
Smart Rating: 95
Price (MSRP): $34,850
Overall MPG: 22 MPG
Power: 240 HP
Torque: 236 FT-LBS
2015 Acura MDX
Smart Rating: 95
Price (MSRP): $42,565
Overall MPG: 24 MPG
Power: 290 HP
Torque: 267 FT-LBS
2014 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
Smart Rating: 95
Price (MSRP): $51,790
Overall MPG: 24 MPG
Power: 240 HP
Torque: 455 FT-LBS
2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
Smart Rating: 96
Price (MSRP): $24,950
Overall MPG: 23 MPG
Power: 190 HP
Torque: 181 FT-LBS
2015 Subaru Forester
Smart Rating: 96
Price (MSRP): $22,195
Overall MPG: 25 MPG
Power: 170 HP
Torque: 174 FT-LBS
2014 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Smart Rating: 96
Price (MSRP): $47,300
Overall MPG: 27 MPG
Power: 280 HP
2015 Volvo XC60
Smart Rating: 96
Price (MSRP): $35,750
Overall MPG: 27 MPG
Power: 240 HP
Torque: 258 FT-LBS
2014 Subaru Forester
Smart Rating: 97
Price (MSRP): $21,995
Overall MPG: 25 MPG
Power: 170 HP
Torque: 174 FT-LBS
2015 Honda CR-V
Smart Rating: 98
Price (MSRP): $23,445
Overall MPG: 30 MPG
Power: 185 HP
Torque: 181 FT-LBS
2015 GMC Acadia
Smart Rating: 98
Price (MSRP): $33,975
Overall MPG: 20 MPG
Power: 281 HP
Torque: 266 FT-LBS
2015 Buick Enclave
Smart Rating: 98
Price (MSRP): $38,950
Overall MPG: 20 MPG
Power: 288 HP
Torque: 270 FT-LBS
2015 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
Smart Rating: 99
Price (MSRP): $48,300
Overall MPG: 21 MPG
Power: 302 HP
Torque: 273 FT-LBS
