Let's Applaud These Affordable Cars for Their Tesla Model 3-like Crash Safety

Sorry, was that too snarky? Our headline alludes to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recent awarding of five stars in all crash test categories to the Tesla Model 3 — a bit of news that’s made the rounds lately. It’s a worthy achievement, so hats off to Tesla for building a car that can take a beating.

However, if you’re still waiting patiently for Tesla to deliver your car, here’s a listing of vehicles costing less than the current “base” Model 3 (the $44,000 Long Range model) that are just as safe in a collision, and are available to buy at a dealership near you. Like, even today.

Tesla’s achievement isn’t an everyday occurrence, despite countless vehicles boasting a “5-star safety rating” from the NHTSA. That’s an overall score; an amalgam of front- and side-impact tests, plus a rollover tests. Available safety technology factors into the score, too. It’s common for vehicles to drive away with an overall five-star score after receiving four out of five stars in one or two of the categories. Actually, someone arriving via time machine from the 1980s would be surprised to see how close many plebian vehicles come to acing it.

My last car, for example — a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze that liked making fluids disappear — received five out of five stars in both the front- and side-impact tests. Available safety tech was sufficient, and only the rollover test suffered in any way, with NHTSA awarding four out of five stars for that hurdle. Regardless, the NHTSA stamped it with a highly marketable 5-Star Safety Rating. The Cruze’s second-gen successor also gained this rating.

But we’re not talking about “very good” here — we’re talking straight A students. So, here are vehicles with MSRPs below that of the Model 3 LR that leave nothing wanting in terms of safety, at least as far as the NHTSA is concerned.

• Ford Mustang (going back years, too)
• Kia Optima (see above)
• Genesis G80
• Acura TLX
• Honda Accord
• Honda Civic (Coupe excluded)
• Toyota Camry
• Subaru Impreza
• Subaru Legacy
• Nissan Maxima

This list could be incomplete, as several new models haven’t yet undergone testing. For example, the NHTSA still hasn’t offered a score to the 2019 Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra full-size pickups, among others. The safety agency never even got around to testing the Kia Niro or Hyundai Ioniq, despite those vehicles not being new for the looming model year.

Regardless, suffice it to say there’s plenty of affordable options for buyers wanting a perfect safety score. If you’re more worried about tech annoyances and reliability issues, head over to J.D. Power.

By the way — have you noticed something unusual about this list of vehicles? That’s right, they’re all members of a vanishing race of traditional passenger cars.

[Image: Honda]