Are you looking for the safest vehicle for you or your senior loved one? Safety is particularly important for senior drivers, who could experience slower reaction times, hearing loss, impaired vision, and other driving challenges (1). So, the vehicle you choose for your senior driver would benefit from extra features to ensure safety. Here are the 10 safest cars we could find for senior drivers. This list features newer models, because cars have gotten safer over time. The safest cars tend to be new ones. But if budget is a concern, older versions of these cars also had excellent safety ratings. Make sure to consider safety, reliability, and ease of use as you make your choice.
#1: 2018-2022 Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a safe, reliable, and budget-friendly choice. It gets excellent gas mileage and has a 9.4 safety rating out of 10 on the J.D. Power rating scale. Modern safety features became standard beginning with the 2018 Honda Accord, so you could save even more by choosing this slightly older model. The Accord also features a lot of trunk space and fold-down seats, which can be helpful for transporting walkers, golf clubs, or all the grandkids’ gear.
All crash test results for the Accord were excellent. It earned the highest safety rating from both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (2). Its standard safety features include:
- Rearview camera
- Forward collision warning
- Forward automatic emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise control with road sign recognition
- Lane departure warning with lane keep assist
- Driver drowsiness monitoring
- Automatic high-beam headlights
All-wheel drive (AWD) is the only thing missing from the excellent Accord. Seniors in snowy climates may consider other cars that offer AWD.
#2: 2018-2022 Genesis G80
Seniors looking for a luxury car with excellent safety features will love the Genesis G80. It is a midsize sedan with plenty of legroom and an excellent reliability score. It’s also a better value for the money than its rival BMW, Mercedes, and Audi models. All-wheel drive is also available on the Sport model of this car, which is an excellent choice if you live in a place with a lot of snow and weather.
The Genesis G80 has a 9.9/10 safety score (3). Standard safety features include:
- Forward collision warning
- Forward automatic emergency braking
- Pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Highway driving assist
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keep assist
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Lane tracing assist (helps keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
- Adaptive cruise control
- Speed limit recognition
- Safe exit assist (alerts exiting passengers of vehicles approaching from behind)
- Automatic high-beam headlights
- Driver attention monitoring
- Rain-sensing windshield wipers
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Rearview camera
If you want an upscale midsize car with tons of safety features, the Genesis G80 would be a great choice for you.
#3: 2018-2022 Toyota Camry
The Camry has been an uber-reliable choice for many, many years. In 2018, the Camry was completely redesigned with upgraded safety features, a stronger engine, better gas mileage, and sharper handling. All-wheel drive became available on some models beginning in 2020. The Toyota Camry is considered one of the best value cars for its combination of budget-friendly price and comfortable, upgraded features.
The Camry earned a 9.1/10 score for safety features. It did well in all crash tests. It has fewer tech-powered safety features than more upscale models, but it is still a very safe car. Here are its standard safety features:
- Lane trace assist
- Lane keep assist
- Forward collision warning
- Forward automatic emergency braking
- Pedestrian detection
- Traffic sign recognition
- Rearview camera
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane departure warning
Its trunk is a little on the small size, and the gas mileage in AWD models is less than stellar. But overall, the Camry is a great choice for most seniors.
#4: 2020-2022 Hyundai Ioniq
If you’re looking for an electric or hybrid vehicle, the Hyundai Ioniq is a top contender. It’s a brand-new model that debuted in 2017. In 2020, many safety features became standard on all models of the car. Because it’s a hybrid, it gets incredible gas mileage and is easy on the environment. However, the backseat of the Hyundai Ioniq is on the small side, so that’s one thing to consider if you’ll be hauling grandkids around. It also does not have an all-wheel drive model.
The Ioniq has an impressive safety score of 10/10 (4). It fared very well in crash tests. It also has many standard safety features, including a rearview camera, driver attention alert, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and automatic high-beam headlights.
You should consider the Ioniq if you’re looking for an electric or hybrid car, and you don’t live in a climate where you would benefit from all-wheel drive.
#5: 2020-2022 Subaru Legacy
The Subaru Legacy boasts an impressively low base price, especially when you consider that all-wheel drive (AWD) is standard on all models! The price is lower than the comparable Toyota Camry, which does not have standard AWD. It has a lot of safety features and a J.D. Powers Safety score of 10/10. More driver assist features were added beginning in 2020, so we recommend senior drivers consider the 2020 or later years.
The Legacy’s touchscreen and digital controls are large and easy to navigate, which is a bonus for seniors. It also has large, easily accessible doors and ample legroom. Standard safety features include (5):
- Adaptive headlights
- Adaptive cruise control
- Forward collision warning
- Forward automatic emergency braking
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keep assist
- Head-up display
- Automatic high-beam headlights
- Rearview camera
- Rear-seat reminder
The only downside to the Subaru Legacy is its average fuel economy and average reliability score. But with its safety features, all-wheel drive, and intuitive controls, it is the perfect safe choice for senior drivers.
#6: 2019-2022 Honda Insight
The Insight is another excellent hybrid option for senior drivers. It has some of the best fuel economy in its class, at 51-55 mpg in the city and 45-49 mpg on the highway. It also boasts impressive intuitive features that make it easy to drive, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy and are new to hybrids. However, all-wheel drive is not available with the Honda Insight.
The Insight received a safety rating of 10/10 (6). Standard safety features include:
- Road departure mitigation
- Lane keep assist
- Lane departure warning
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Forward collision warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Traffic sign recognition
- Stop-and-go adaptive cruise control
- Rearview camera
- Automatic high-beam headlights
If you’re looking for a budget-conscious hybrid and don’t need all-wheel drive, you should consider the Honda Insight.
#7: 2017-2022 BMW 5 Series
If price is not a factor and you’re looking for a luxury ride, the BMW 5 Series is an excellent safe choice for seniors. While the starting price is quite high, the 5 Series is comfortable, boasts easy-to-use tech features, and has a safety rating of 10/10. However, it doesn’t get great gas mileage for a midsize sedan, at 15-25 miles per gallon in the city and 21-33 on the highway.
The 5 series also has more safety features than your average car. The standard ones include (7):
- Rearview camera
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Forward collision warning
- Pedestrian detection
- Forward automatic emergency braking
- Lane departure warning
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Road sign recognition
- Driver drowsiness monitoring
- Adaptive pivoting headlights
- Automatic high-beam headlights
For seniors with upscale tastes, the 5 series is a safe and easy-to-drive option. And, there are also hybrid models, if you are interested. It should be noted that you will have to go above the base model to the 530i xDrive variant if you want all-wheel drive.
#8: 2019-2022 Subaru Forester
If SUVs are more your speed, check out the Subaru Forester. It gets good gas mileage, has all-wheel drive standard on all models, and has a safety score of 9.6/10 (8). The “infotainment” system might be harder to learn for less tech-savvy seniors, but the very reasonable price and many features of the Forester make it an excellent choice.
The Forester also has a great reliability rating and a shorter, though more than adequate, list of safety features. Standard ones include:
- Rearview camera
- Lane centering assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Forward collision warning
- Forward automatic emergency braking
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keep assist
You can add driver drowsiness monitoring, blind spot monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert, and reverse automatic emergency braking with more expensive trim packages. Subaru’s have a long history of reliability and excellence in winter driving, so they are a great choice in cold climates.
#9: 2016-2022 Hyundai Tucson
While it was completely redesigned in 2022, the Hyundai Tucson has been a great small SUV option for years. It has a great price, a 9.8/10 safety rating and an overall 8.7/10 JD Powers rating (9). Just don’t opt for the touchscreen controls, which can be confusing and difficult to learn.
The base infotainment system is reasonably easy to use, and it has ample both passenger and cargo space, which is especially important for seniors who may have mobility challenges. The standard safety features include:
- Rearview camera
- Forward collision warning
- Pedestrian detection
- Forward automatic emergency braking
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keep assist
- Automatic high-beam headlights
- Driver drowsiness monitoring
- Rear seat alert (helps to prevent children and pets from being left inside vehicle)
The Tucson is comfortable, affordable, safe, and even pretty stylish. Overall, it’s a very safe choice for senior drivers.
#10: 2021-2022 Ford Bronco Sport
A new offering from Ford, the Bronco Sport is great for its all-weather capabilities and even off-road handling. It is also one of the safest SUVs in its class, with a rating of 9.9/10 (10). It has good performance, great reliability, and excellent safety features. Ford’s newest SUV also features standard four-wheel drive.
The Bronco’s base safety features include:
- Rearview camera
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Forward collision warning
- Pedestrian detection
- Forward automatic emergency braking
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keep assist
- MyKey (lets you do things like set speed and audio volume limits for secondary drivers)
All in all, it’s a great choice for senior drivers who value safety and winter driving capabilities.
Stellar Living hopes these 10 safest vehicles for seniors helps you make the best choice for your new vehicle!
