How Much It Costs To Drive 2020’s Safest Vehicles
For anyone in the market for a new car, the choice between cost and safety doesn’t have to be a choice at all. Dozens of 2020 trucks, cars and SUVs that are among the most affordable in their class are also some of the best rated in terms of safety.
There are 49 vehicles on this list, and only one of them (barely) breaches the $40,000 mark — in fact, that vehicle has a starting MSRP of $40,000 exactly. Another 15 vehicles are in the $30,000s, but the overwhelming majority of those are priced below $35,000. That leaves 33 vehicles priced below $30,000, 22 of which are in the $20,000s. Another 11 brand new 2020 models are there for the taking for less than $20,000.
None of them, however, skimp on safety.
GOBankingRates used Kelley Blue Book and U.S. News & World Report for inspiration in identifying the safest 2020 models on the road. In order to generate this list, five factors were analyzed for each vehicle: starting MSRP, overall safety ranking, frontal crash safety ranking, side crash safety ranking and rollover safety ranking — all safety ratings were out of five stars.
The team then scored, weighted and ranked the results in ascending order from worst to best, with the best having the top score in terms of both safety and affordability.
If you do choose one of these cars or trucks for yourself, you’ll likely feel good about your purchase for years to come. Many of these vehicles are not only affordable upfront but, in terms of five-year ownership costs and reliability, also rank high as being good cars to own over time.
Last updated: Aug. 18, 2020
49. Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Crew Cab
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 3
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 3
Your cost to drive: $34,600
48. GMC Sierra 2500 HD Crew Cab
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 3
Your cost to drive: $40,000
47. Toyota Tundra Crew Cab
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 3
Your cost to drive: $33,575
46. GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $37,560
45. Ram 2500 Crew Cab
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $33,895
44. Ford F250 Regular Cab
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $33,705
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43. Ford F150 Super Cab
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $32,830
42. Ford F150 Regular Cab
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $28,745
41. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $28,500
40. Jeep Grand Cherokee
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $34,000
39. Toyota Tacoma Crew Cab
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $26,050
38. Hyundai Elantra
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 4
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $19,300
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37. Ram 1500 Crew Cab
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $32,145
36. Kia Telluride
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $31,890
35. Ford F150 SuperCrew Cab
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $35,285
34. Honda Ridgeline
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $33,900
33. Nissan Sentra
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $19,090
32. Subaru Ascent
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $31,995
31. Hyundai Palisade
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $31,975
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30. Ford Edge
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $31,100
29. Kia Forte
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $17,890
28. Kia Soul
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $17,490
27. Ford Fusion
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $23,170
26. Volkswagen Passat
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $22,995
25. Subaru Crosstrek
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $22,145
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24. Hyundai Accent
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $15,295
23. Nissan Maxima
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 5
Your cost to drive: $34,250
22. Volkswagen Jetta
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $18,895
21. Mazda CX-5
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $25,190
20. Ford Escape
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $24,885
19. Subaru Forester
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $24,495
18. Mazda 6
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $24,100
17. Chevrolet Equinox
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $23,800
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16. Hyundai Tucson
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $23,550
15. Subaru WRX
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 5
Your cost to drive: $27,495
14. Honda Civic
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 5
Your cost to drive: $20,650
13. Mazda CX-3
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $20,390
12. Hyundai Kona
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $20,300
11. Toyota Corolla
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $19,600
10. Toyota Camry
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 5
Your cost to drive: $24,425
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9. Honda Accord
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 5
Your cost to drive: $24,020
8. Kia Optima
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 5
Your cost to drive: $23,390
7. Chevrolet Sonic
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $16,720
6. Honda Insight
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 5
Your cost to drive: $22,930
5. Honda Fit
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 5
Your cost to drive: $16,190
4. Subaru Legacy
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 5
Your cost to drive: $22,745
3. Toyota Yaris
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 4
Your cost to drive: $15,650
2. Mazda 3
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 5
Your cost to drive: $21,500
1. Subaru Impreza
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
Overall side crash safety rating: 5
Rollover crash safety rating: 5
Your cost to drive: $18,695
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Methodology: In order to discover the safest and most affordable car and truck models of 2020, GOBankingRates looked for inspiration from U.S. News & World Report and Kelley Blue Book rankings for safe 2020 models. Once top-ranking models were identified, GOBankingRates found each car’s (1) starting MSRP from individual company websites; (2) overall safety ranking out of five stars; (3) frontal crash safety ranking out of five stars; (4) side crash safety rating out of five stars; and (5) rollover safety ranking out of five stars, all sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Factors No. 2-5 were then combined to give (6) an overall star ranking out of 20. Then, factors No. 1 and 6 were scored and combined with the lowest score being best. In the final calculations, factor No. 1 was weighted 1 1/2 times and factor No. 6 was weighted 2 times. All data was collected on and is up to date as of June 11, 2020.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much It Costs To Drive 2020’s Safest Vehicles
