Monash University’s Accident Research Centre (MUARC) has released its Used Car Safety Ratings for 2024 and, while it may come as no surprise, it’s confirmed affordable used cars have become significantly safer over the past two decades.
The MUARC analysed 9.4 million vehicles involved in police-reported crashes and 2.6 million injured road users in Australia and New Zealand between 1987 and 2022.
The data shows a significant improvement in vehicle safety within that timeframe, with the average risk of death or serious injury for drivers in 2022 models reduced by 36 per cent compared to those manufactured in 2002.
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In total, 534 models were rated for Overall Safety, reflecting their combined performance in the areas of Driver Safety, Other Road User Safety and Crash Avoidance.
The worst performers were given a one-star rating and the best performers awarded a five-star rating, confirming them as the top vehicles in terms of relative safety performance.
In total this year, 110 models were awarded a maximum five-star rating, and 54 received ‘Safer Pick’ status after scoring a five-star rating for both Overall Safety and Driver Safety, as well as a four- or five-star rating for Other Road User Safety and Crash Avoidance.
But just 16 of those Safer Pick models received five stars in every category, and they were:
- Audi A4/S4/RS4 (MY2008-2015)
- Honda Civic (MY2016-2021)
- Honda Odyssey (MY2013-2021)
- Hyundai Tucson (MY2015-2020)
- Mazda 3 (MY2013-2019)
- Mazda 6 (MY2012-2022)
- Mazda CX-5 (MY2017-2022)
- Mercedes-Benz CLA C117/X117 (MY2013-2019)
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class W212/C207/A207 (MY2009-2016)
- Mercedes-Benz GLA X156 (MY2014-2019)
- Mitsubishi Outlander (MY2012-2021)
- Subaru Impreza/XV (MY2016-2022)
- Toyota Camry (MY2017-2022)
- Toyota Corolla (MY2018-2022)
- Volkswagen Tiguan (MY2016-2022)
- Volkswagen Touareg (MY2011-2019)
In good news for buyers on a budget, MUARC says that nearly all ‘Safer Pick’ models are available second-hand for under $25,000, with over half of them priced under $10,000.
All ‘Safer Pick’ models were released in or since 2004, and 91 per cent were produced after 2008, reflecting the advantages of newer vehicles in terms of safety technology, design quality, and compliance with updated regulation.
Electronic stability control, for example, has become widely available in vehicles over the past two decades, and was mandated for all new passenger cars sold Australia-wide since November 2011, and for all new vehicles since November 2013.
According to MUARC, the overall safety of Australia’s light vehicle fleet has improved by over 55 per cent since 1981.
It says more small and mid-sized SUVs were five-star rated for Overall Safety compared to small and mid-sized cars, in part because the majority of these vehicles are newer.
“However, small SUVs and light cars had the worst occupant protection, largely due to their lighter weight and sometimes poor specification for safety equipment,” said MUARC.
“Commercial utes and people movers performed relatively poorly in occupant protection, despite being heavier. Of greater concern is the high risk of injury these vehicle types pose to other road users, emphasising why crash avoidance technologies such as lane keep assist and autonomous braking are so important for these vehicle types.”
Research lead and MUARC Director, Professor Stuart Newstead, said the updated ratings will empower consumers to make a safer choice both for them and the broader community.
“To minimise road trauma in the community it is important to choose vehicles that optimise safety in all the dimensions considered in the Used Car Safety Ratings. We need to consider how the vehicle protects you as the driver in a crash, the injury risk the vehicle poses to other road users in the crash and how likely the vehicle is to avoid a crash altogether.
“The Used Car Safety Ratings ‘Overall Safety’ rating reflects the balance of performance of a vehicle across all these aspects. Choosing vehicles that perform best overall will have the biggest impact on reducing road trauma in our communities,” said Prof Newstead.
