10 Safest Cars for Families with Children

lanning to buy a family car with a high safety rating? When it comes to choosing the most child-friendly cars, five-star overall safety ratings are the most important considerations.

So without further ado, here’s a list of the top ten safest family cars for kids that have performed best in the new ANCAP crash testing that includes child dummies.

1. Mercedes-Benz GLE

• Type: SUV
• Child Occupant Protection: 92%
• Important Safety Features: Standard seven airbags, pretensioner seatbelts in the first and second-row outer seats and optional third-row seats (that are beneficial for children who are out of fully harnessed child seats).

Source: mbusa.com

The Mercedes-Benz GLE is a five-seater SUV with the option of adding two more seats to make a third row (not tested in ANCAP COP crash testing). It scored 92% for child occupant protection, 45.2 out of 49 points. In the crash tests, it scored 15.24 out of 16 for the frontal offset crash and full points for the side impact test.

The GLE also got full marks for child restraint installation and 10 out of 13 for on-board safety features. For now, this makes it the safest family car for kids on sale in Australia.

When it comes to the safety of the front passengers, Mercedes-Benz GLE did pretty well, with a score of 34.9 out of 38 or 91% for Adult Occupant Protection with 7.71 out of 8 for the full-width frontal crash test, 7.32 out of 8 for the frontal offset crash test, 6.93 out of 8 for the pole test and full marks for the side impact test.

2. Mercedes-Benz A-Class

• Type: Hatchback
• Child Occupant Protection: 91%
• Important Safety Features: Standard seven airbags, pretensioner seatbelts in the first and second-row outer seats

Source: mercedes-benz.com

The small five-seater hatchback scored 91% for child occupant protection, 45 out of 49 points. In the crash tests, it scored 15.98 out of 16 for the frontal offset crash and full points for the side impact test. The A-Class also got full marks for child restraint installation and 9 out of 13 for on-board safety features.

As for the safety of the front passengers, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class scored 36.5 out of 38 or 96% for Adult Occupant Protection with 7.81 out of 8 for the full-width frontal crash test, 7.11 out of 8 for the frontal offset crash test, 7.88 out of 8 for the pole test and full marks for the side impact test.

3. Mazda6

• Types: Sedan and Wagon
• Child Occupant Protection: 91%
• Important Safety Features: Standard seven airbags, pretensioner seatbelts in the first and second-row outer seats

Source: mazdausa.com

Available as a five-seater sedan and wagon, the Mazda6 scored 91% for child occupant protection, 44.8 out of 49 points. In the crash tests, it scored full points for the frontal offset crash and the side impact test. It got 11.81 out of 12 for child restraint installation and 9 out of 13 for on-board safety features.

The front passengers' safety is important too when choosing our new family car and the Mazda6 did very well, scoring 36.14 out of 38 or 95% for Adult Occupant Protection with 6.82 out of 8 for the full-width frontal crash test, 7.49 out of 8 for the frontal offset crash test, full marks for the side impact test and for the pole test.

4. Range Rover Evoque

• Type: SUV
• Child Occupant Protection: 89%
• Important Safety Features: Standard six airbags, pretensioner seatbelts in the first and second-row outer seats

Source: landroverusa.com

The five-seater SUV scored 89% for child occupant protection, 43.7 out of 49 points. In the crash tests, it scored 15.74 out of 16 for the frontal offset crash and full points for the side impact test. It got full points for child restraint installation and 8 out of 13 for on-board safety features.

Front passenger safety is important too when choosing our new family car and the Range Rover Evoque did well here, scoring 36 out of 38 or 94% for Adult Occupant Protection. 7.39 out of 8 for the full-width frontal crash test with 7.41 out of 8 for the frontal offset crash test, full marks for the side impact test and 7.62 out of 8 for the pole test.

5. Toyota RAV4

• Type: SUV
• Child Occupant Protection: 89%
• Important Safety Features: Standard seven airbags, pretensioner seatbelts in the first and second-row outer seats

Source: toyota.com

The five-seater SUV scored 89% for child occupant protection with 43.9 out of 49 points. In the crash tests, it scored 15.85 out of 16 for the frontal offset crash and full points for the side impact test. It got full points for child restraint installation and 8 out of 13 for on-board safety features.

Safety for front passengers is also very important when choosing your new family car and the Toyota RAV4 did well here with a score of 35.7 out of 38 or 93% for Adult Occupant Protection, made up of 7.54 out of 8 for the full-width frontal crash test, 7.44 out of 8 for the frontal offset crash test, 7.50 out of 8 for the side impact test and 7.50 out of 8 for the pole test.

6. Lexus UX

• Type: SUV
• Child Occupant Protection: 88%
• Important Safety Features: Standard seven airbags, pretensioner seatbelts in the first and second-row outer seats

Source: lexus.com

The five-seater SUV scored 88% for child occupant protection, 43.1 out of 49 points. In the crash tests, it scored 15.13 out of 16 for the frontal offset crash and full points for the side impact test. It got full points for child restraint installation and 8 out of 13 for on-board safety features.

The safety of front passengers is very important too when choosing your new family car and the Lexus UX did very well in this regard, scoring 36.7 out of 38 or 96% for Adult Occupant Protection with 7.68 out of 8 for the full-width frontal crash test, 7.17 out of 8 for the frontal offset crash test and full points for the side impact test and for the pole test.

7. Volkswagen Touareg

• Type: SUV
• Child Occupant Protection: 88%
• Important Safety Features: Standard seven airbags, pretensioner seatbelts in the first and second-row outer seats

Source: topgear.com

The five-seater large SUV has seven airbags that include dual frontal airbags, side chest-protecting airbags for both the first and second-row outboard seating positions, and side head-protecting airbags.

It scored 88% for child occupant protection, 43.4 out of 49 points. In the crash tests, it scored 15.37 out of 16 for the frontal offset crash and full points for the side impact test. It got full points for child restraint installation and 8 out of 13 for on-board safety features.

The safety of your front passengers is also very important when choosing a new family car and the VW Toureg did quite well for this with its score 34 out of 38 or 89% for Adult Occupant Protection, with 7.03 out of 8 for the full-width frontal crash test, 6.72 out of 8 for the frontal offset crash test and full points for the side impact test and 6.93 out of 8 for the pole test.

8. Volvo XC60

• Type: SUV
• Child Occupant Protection: 87%
• Important Safety Features: Standard seven airbags, pretensioner seatbelts in the first and second-row outer seats

Source: volvocars.com

The five-seater SUV scored 87% for child occupant protection, 42.9 out of 49 points. It was tested in Europe by EURO-NCAP in 2017 before ANCAP started testing Child Occupant Protection in Australia but the rating is transferable.

As for the safety of the front passengers, the Volvo XC60 scored 37.3 out of 38 or 98% for Adult Occupant Protection with 7.58 out of 8 for the full-width frontal crash test, 7.82 out of 8 for the frontal offset crash test and full points for the side impact test and for the pole test.

9. Volvo XC90

• Type: SUV
• Child Occupant Protection: 87%
• Important Safety Features: Standard seven airbags, pretensioner seatbelts in all seats

Source: topgear.com

The seven-seater family SUV has seven airbags that include side head and chest curtain airbags that extend to the third-row seats. It scored 87% for child occupant protection, 43 out of 49 points. It was tested in Europe by EURO-NCAP in 2015 before ANCAP started testing Child Occupant Protection in Australia.

For the safety of front passengers, the Volvo XC90 scored 37 out of 38 or 97% for Adult Occupant Protection, made up of 7.76 out of 8 for the full-width frontal crash test, 7.81 out of 8 for the frontal offset crash test and full points for the side impact test and 7.60 out of 8 for the pole test.

10. Mazda CX-8

• Type: SUV
• Child Occupant Protection: 87%
• Important Safety Features: Six airbags, pretensioner seatbelts in the first and second-row outer seats

Source: caradvice.com

The seven-seater SUV has six airbags, which include side head-protecting airbags for both all three rows of outboard seating positions. It scored 87% for child occupant protection, 42.7 out of 49 points. In the crash tests, it scored 14 out of 16 for the frontal offset crash and full points for the side impact test. It got 11.66 out of 12 for child restraint installation and 9 out of 13 for on-board safety features.

Mazda CX-8 also did well in front passengers safety, scoring 36.7 out of 38 or 96% for Adult Occupant Protection with 7.93 out of 8 for the full-width frontal crash test, 6.93 out of 8 for the frontal offset crash test and full points for the side impact test and the pole test.

Own a family car with affordable car loan. Call us at 1300 722 210.