Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) fit the needs of many families, accommodating both passengers and gear, and certain models even excel in athletic driving dynamics and off-road capabilities. Yet, the main concern for numerous SUV owners is whether they can safely and comfortably transport the entire family to their destination. Fortunately, the most recent lineup of SUVs are are some of the safest ever made. These do-it-all vehicles come equipped with an array of advanced driver-assistance features such as front crash prevention, collision mitigation, and automatic braking, alongside the usual safety essentials like seatbelts and airbags.
But not all SUVs are created equal. Some automakers offer these safety features as standard equipment, while others make you pay extra. Some have good safety scores with safety-testing organizations that perform crash tests on new vehicles but also rate other safety-related equipment. For example, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also tests headlights, and some vehicles that earn top star ratings require the buyer to pay more for the headlights that yield those results.
The following new SUV models, including a few small SUVs, provide the best safety equipment and protection and do so at a reasonable cost. These vehicles range from three-row family-hauling SUVs to agile and upscale compact SUVs. Read on to see if one of these safe sport utility vehicles piques your interest and meets your family’s needs.
The Safest SUVs of 2024
- Acura RDX
- BMW X3
- Mazda CX-30
- Toyota RAV4 Prime
- Toyota Highlander
- Subaru Forester
- Hyundai Palisade
- Volvo XC60
- Mazda CX-5
- Subaru Ascent
Acura RDX
The Acura RDX pushes the boundaries of what you would call a compact SUV. It has plenty of room for five passengers (the larger Acura MDX seats seven) and up to 58.9 cubic feet of cargo space. With a starting price of $44,350, the RDX also has a standard 272-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The RDX comes with the AcuraWatch suite of driver-assistance features. AcuraWatch includes automatic emergency braking, forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Available safety features include front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view parking monitor, and rain-sensing wipers.
The 2024 RDX has a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The RDX also earned a 2023 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. The only real drawback to the RDX is the learning curve of its confusing infotainment system. We wish Acura would give it a touchscreen rather than a touchpad-operated infotainment screen.
BMW X3
Like the Acura RDX, the BMW X3 is raising the bar for compact luxury SUVs in more ways than one. It has athletic handling, plenty of headroom and legroom, and up to 62.7 cubic feet of cargo space. The base turbocharged four-cylinder engine gets the X3 up to speed quickly. Shoppers can also choose from the X3 M40i and the X3 M, each with a potent engine and cornering abilities rivaling those of a performance sedan.
The X3 comes equipped with automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, and lane-departure warning. It also comes standard with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control. Optional safety features on the X3 include evasive steering assist and a surround-view parking monitor.
Mazda CX-30
The CX-30’s rakish styling and athletic handling make it something of a high-riding Mazda3 hatchback, and its upscale cabin rivals those of some luxury vehicles. The CX-30 comes with Mazda’s i-Activsense collection of driver-assistance features. This includes forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. It also includes lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Other standard safety features include rain-sensing windshield wipers and driver-drowsiness monitoring. The CX-30 also includes standard all-wheel drive (AWD), aiding in slippery conditions.
Optional safety technology for the CX-30 includes traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a head-up display, and a Traffic Jam Assist system that helps the SUV stop and go with the flow of traffic. The CX-30 is a 2023 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, and earns a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Toyota RAV4 Prime
The 2024 Toyota RAV4 Prime is the range-topping, plug-in version of the RAV4 Hybrid. The plug-in hybrid capability allows it to drive up to 42 miles on electric power. The RAV4 Prime provides up to 69.8 cubic feet of cargo space. It also comes standard with an intuitive touchscreen infotainment system. This touchscreen setup comes equipped with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa.
The RAV4 Prime comes with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+. This includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, full-speed-range dynamic cruise control that operates between 0 and 110 mph, lane-departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, and lane-tracing assist. The latter reads the lines on the road to keep the RAV4 Prime centered in its current lane of traffic. The RAV4 Prime also comes equipped with blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Available safety features include reverse automatic emergency braking, a head-up display, and a surround-view parking monitor.
Research the Toyota RAV4 Prime
Toyota Highlander
The Toyota Highlander provides plenty of space for passengers and all their Gear. It comes standard with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine rated for 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, and AWD is available. It has good interior quality and a long list of standard features, including tri-zone climate control, an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa.
The Highlander also comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+. In the Highlander, it includes full-speed adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection. It also has lane-centering assist, and the adaptive cruise control system is more seamless in how it follows the flow of traffic. The 2024 Highlander earned a five-star overall rating from NHTSA and was named a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ by IIHS.
Research the Toyota Highlander
Subaru Forester
Despite being classified as a compact SUV, the Subaru Forester has an upright profile and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, giving it plenty of headroom and a commanding view of the road. It also has 74.2 cubic feet of cargo space, which is good for the class. The standard AWD system makes it a formidable vehicle in inclement weather. The Forester also comes with the easy-to-use StarLink infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Forester comes standard with the EyeSight collection of driver-assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive LED headlights, advanced adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure warning. The Forester is available with, reverse automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and driver attention monitoring. A new Forester is arriving for 2025, but the 2024 remains an incredibly safe SUV.
Hyundai Palisade
The Hyundai Palisade is a three-row family hauler that borders on luxury SUV territory, especially in the Calligraphy and Calligraphy Nigh Edition trim levels. It has comfortable seating, refined driving dynamics, and up to 86.4 cubic feet of cargo space. The Palisade offers seating for up to eight, or seven-passenger seating with the available second-row captain's chairs. Its 291-horsepower V6 engine makes solid power from a standstill while getting up to highway speeds, and doesn’t make too much noise when doing it.
The Palisade is a 2024 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ but has not yet been rated by NHTSA. Standard safety equipment includes forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and rear parking sensors. It also comes standard with a rear door alert, which emits a warning if a car is coming up on the driver’s side when parked. This helps prevent kids (and other rear-seat passengers) from opening the door into traffic. The Palisade also comes with an ultrasonic rear-occupant alert that can actually detect movement in the rear seats. The Hyundai Palisade's corporate cousin is the Kia Telluride, which offers many of the same features and similar capabilities.
Volvo XC60
Volvo has a long history of safety innovation. More recently, it has built on that reputation with upscale cabins and world-class interior and exterior styling. The XC60 provides an artful dash design, up to 63.3 cubic feet of cargo space, and supportive, comfortable seating for five passengers (consider the Volvo XC90 if you need three rows). And no matter which four-cylinder engine you select (options range from 247 to 455 horsepower), the XC60 has a gentle, refined ride quality.
The Volvo XC60 is a 2023 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and earns a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. In addition to forward-collision avoidance and automatic emergency braking, the XC60 comes standard with traffic-sign recognition, driver drowsiness monitoring, and road- and lane-departure mitigation. It also comes with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic detection, rear parking sensors, and rear collision warning and braking. Additionally, the XC60 comes with the Care Key, which lets parents set speed limits for the second set of keys.
Mazda CX-5
We’ve mentioned how the Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Palisade are non-luxury vehicles that give a near-luxury feel, but few new cars punch above their weight quite like the Mazda CX-5. It has agile, yet refined, handling and an upscale cabin, and it comes standard with a competent 187-horsepower four-cylinder engine. Buyers can also select a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 227 horsepower (or 256 horsepower with premium fuel). In 2022, the CX-5 received an exterior styling update, standard AWD, and improved ride quality. These changes carry over into the 2023 version.
The CX-5 comes with the Mazda i-Activsense suite of driver-assistance features. This includes forward-collision warning and avoidance with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and lane-departure warning. The CX-5 also comes standard with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. Optional safety features include reverse automatic emergency braking, a driver attention monitor, adaptive headlights, and a head-up display. The CX-5 is an IIHS Top Safety Pick and earns a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. If you need more space than the CX-5, check out the three-row Mazda CX-90.
Subaru Ascent
The Subaru Ascent is smaller than other three-row midsize SUVs, but it makes up for that with Subaru’s standard symmetrical AWD. It’s a bit tight on third-row space, but it still provides 86.5 cubic feet of cargo volume, which is on par with the class. The Ascent comes standard with tri-zone climate control, an intuitive 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
Similar to the Forester discussed above, the Ascent comes standard with Subaru's EyeSight suite of driver-assistance features. This includes pre-collision braking and throttle management, advanced adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and prevention, automatic high beams, and steering-responsive LED headlights. EyeSight also has a clever feature that alerts the driver if traffic has moved ahead of you when you are stopped. The 2024 model year Ascent earned a five-star overall rating from NHTSA and was named a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ by IIHS.
If you don't need the cargo space of the Ascent, you can also check out the very capable Subaru Outback.