Are You Shopping for a New Car? These are the Safest Tempe Cars Available Right Now!

A flashy appearance may be one of the first things you think about when you are ready to buy a new car. You might dream of a sleek sports car or an elegant luxury vehicle packed with all the newest gadgets.

While it is not as sexy, safety should actually be one of your biggest concerns when buying a new vehicle. After all, you will be spending a lot of time in your vehicle, and the chances of being in an accident are higher than just about any other calamity that you can face. If you have children, it is even more important that you purchase a safe car. Children are much more vulnerable in an accident, even if they are strapped into the proper safety restraint.

By purchasing a safer car, you also lower your lifetime maintenance costs. With a lower chance of getting into an accident, you won’t have as many occasions to visit a body shop or to pay for body repair.

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety makes it easy to find a safe car that will meet your budget and fit your family’s needs. It issues safety ratings each year, and you can browse them for the top picks, whether you are shopping in Arizona or elsewhere around the country.

IIHS Top Picks for 2016

This year, the IIHS gave 48 vehicles its highest safety rating. Last year, only 33 models received the rating. The Scion iA was the only pick in the minicar category.

• For small cars, the IIHS gave the top rating to the Acura ILX, Volkswagen Golf (both the hatchback and SportWagen versions), Lexus CT 200H, Subaru WRX, Mazda 3 (both the sedan and hatchback versions), GTI (four-door models), Subaru Impreza, and Subaru Crosstrek.
• The midsize car category was divided between moderately priced and higher priced cars. The moderately priced cars included the Chrysler 200, Volkswagen Passat, Honda Accord (both the sedan and the coupe), Volkswagen Jetta, Mazda6, Toyota Prius V, Nissan Maxima, Toyota Camry, Subaru Legacy, and Subaru Outback.
• The higher priced cars included the Volvo V60, Audi A3, Volvo S60, BMW 2 series, and Lexus ES.
• The Toyota Avalon was the only one in the large family car category to get the top rating.
• In the large luxury car market, the top safety ratings went to the Volvo S80, Hyundai Genesis, Acura RLX, Mercedes Benz E-class, Audi A6, Infiniti Q70 and Lexus RC.
• The IIHS made two exceptions in the category. Only Audi A6 models built after January 2015 were given the top safety rating, and all Infiniti Q70 models got the rating except the V-8 four-wheel drive version.
• In the small SUV category, the IIHS gave its top rating to the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, Subaru Forester, Fiat 500X (only models built after July 2015), and Mitsubishi Outlander.
• Midsize SUVS included the Nissan Murano and Honda Pilot.
• Finally, the midsize luxury SUV category included the Volvo XC60, Acura MDX, Acura RDX, Volvo XC90, Lexus NX, and Audi Q5.