Skip advert
Advertisement

Top 10 best cars for safety features

Driver Power asked UK new car buyers about their cars' safety features. Here are the top ten highest rated

  • Covering: Number of electronic safety systems,how easy it is to activate and shut off said systems
  • Winner: Subaru XV Mk2
  • Score: 94.64%

The XV flies under the radar overall in the survey, and barely makes it into the top half of the table. When it comes to safety features, though, its owners couldn’t be happier, awarding it second place both for the number of safety features fitted, and also for how those systems work.

Advertisement - Article continues below

They’re also satisfied with how easy it is to activate and deactivate said systems, awarding the XV a very decent 10th place.

The Polestar 2 and Kia Sorento take second and third places on the category podium. The Polestar beats the XV to first place for the number of safety systems the car is equipped with, and follows that up with an excellent second place for the ease of turning them on and off. 

However, owners only rated safety system functionality at 17th, allowing the XV to run away with the win. The third-placed Sorento has the best-functioning safety systems in the survey, say readers, but a seventh place for ease of activation and ninth for the number of features confirmed its bronze medal.

Your view

“Safety features and ease of access are strong points for Subaru and they should be commended for these elements of their cars.”

Safety features top 10

ModelClassOverall PositionOverall ScoreCategory Score
1. Subaru XV Mk2Mid to Large SUV35th89.87%94.64%
2. Polestar 2Premium Mid to Large SUV17th90.94%94.40%
3. Kia Sorento Mk4Mid to Large SUV2nd92.44%94.35%
4. Volkswagen T-RocMid to Large SUV28th90.19%94.04%
5. Citroen C4 Mk3Compact Family Car1st93.99%93.97%
6. MINI Hatch Mk3Supermini24th90.64%93.83%
7. Toyota Prius Mk4Compact Family Car8th91.45%92.98%
8. Lexus UXPremium Small SUV38th89.56%92.97%
9. Tesla Model 3Executive22nd90.71%92.78%
10. Lexus NX Mk1Premium Mid to Large SUV55th88.68%92.61%
Driver Power car ownership

Now tell us about your car in the Driver Power survey...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Current affairs and features editor

Chris covers all aspects of motoring life for Auto Express. Over a long career he has contributed news and car reviews to brands such as Autocar, WhatCar?, PistonHeads, Goodwood and The Motor Trader.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Most underrated cars 2026
Most underrated cars - header image

Most underrated cars 2026

They may not be class leaders but we think these underrated cars deserve a higher profile
Best cars & vans
4 Jan 2026
Best large SUVs to buy 2026
Best large SUVs - header image

Best large SUVs to buy 2026

Large SUVs are big on comfort, practicality and versatility. Here’s our pick of the best on sale now
Best cars & vans
15 Dec 2025
Best car leasing deals 2026
Best leasing deals - header image

Best car leasing deals 2026

Getting the keys to your dream car can be expensive, but it needn’t be thanks to the Auto Express Buy A Car service.
Best cars & vans
12 Dec 2025
Volkswagen T-Roc review
Volkswagen T-Roc - front

Volkswagen T-Roc review

Worthy updates take this style-led crossover to the top of the class, and the best bits could be yet to come
In-depth reviews
10 Dec 2025

Most Popular

Alpine might have finally delivered a premium French car that Brits will take seriously
Alpine A390 flag

Alpine might have finally delivered a premium French car that Brits will take seriously

Steve Walker thinks sports car brand Alpine could well solve the long-standing French premium car problem…  but by the back door
Opinion
1 Jan 2026
Tesla-style door handles banned in China over safety fears
New Tesla Model Y Standard - side action

Tesla-style door handles banned in China over safety fears

The Chinese government has stepped in amid concerns that retractable or flush-fitting handles are causing fatalities in crashes
News
2 Jan 2026
Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2026, 2027 and beyond
Best new cars coming soon - header image

Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2026, 2027 and beyond

Here are the most important new cars from Audi, BMW, Dacia, Ferrari, Ford, Skoda and more that you need to know about
Best cars & vans
2 Jan 2026