Australians can now access updated Used Car Safety Ratings for 2024, providing comprehensive information to help intending buyers choose the safest used vehicles.
Based on data from the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC), the 2024 ratings analyse 9.4 million vehicles involved in police-reported crashes and 2.6 million injured road users in Australia and New Zealand from 1987 to 2022.
The latest ratings indicate a significant improvement in vehicle safety. Drivers’ average risk of death or severe injury in the 2022 models was 36% lower than in the 2002 models.
In total, 534 vehicle models were rated out of five stars for Overall Safety, which is a reflection of combined performance across Driver Safety, Other Road User Safety and Crash Avoidance, with one star being the worst for safety and five stars indicating the best-rated vehicles for relative safety performance.
This provides consumers with 110 vehicles allocated a 5-star rating. This year, 54 vehicles received ‘Safer Pick’ status after scoring a five-star rating for both Overall Safety and Driver Safety and having a four- or five-star Other Road User Safety and Crash Avoidance.
The 16 Safer Pick vehicles that received five stars in every category are (in alphabetical order):
- Audi A4/S4/RS4/All Road (MY 2008-2015)
- Honda Civic (MY 2016-2021)
- Honda Odyssey (MY 2013-2021)
- Hyundai Tucson (MY 2015-2020)
- Mazda 3/Axela (MY 2013-2019)
- Mazda 6/Atenza (MY 2012-2022)
- Mazda CX-5 (MY 2017-2022)
- Mercedes Benz CLA-Class C117/X117 (MY 2013-2019)
- Mercedes Benz E-Class W212/C207/A207 (MY 2009-2016)
- Mercedes Benz GLA-Class X156 (MY 2014-2019)
- Mitsubishi Outlander (MY 2012-2021)
- Subaru Impreza/XV (MY 2016-2022)
- Toyota Camry (MY 2017-2022)
- Toyota Corolla (MY 2018-2022)
- Volkswagen Tiguan (MY 2016-2022)
- Volkswagen Touareg (MY 2011-2019)
For budget-conscious motorists, the ratings reveal that nearly all ‘Safer Pick’ vehicles are available second-hand for under AUD 25,000, with over half-priced at AUD 10,000 or less. This highlights the availability of safe options across various price ranges, particularly for young drivers.
The 2024 Used Car Safety Ratings show significant improvements in vehicle safety over the past twenty years. All ‘Safer Pick’ vehicles were made from 2004 onwards, with 91 per cent produced after 2008. This reflects the advantages of newer cars regarding safety features, design quality, and compliance with updated regulations.
Additionally, Electronic Stability Control has become widely available in vehicles since then.
Since 1981, the overall safety of the light vehicle fleet has improved by 55%, mainly due to improvements in driver safety.
Medium and small SUVs have more models rated five stars for Overall Safety than small and medium cars, partly because most of these vehicles are newer. However, small SUVs and light cars had the worst occupant protection, mainly due to their lighter weight and sometimes poor safety equipment specifications.
Despite being heavier, commercial utes and people movers performed relatively poorly in occupant protection. Of more significant concern is the high risk of injury these vehicle types pose to other road users, emphasising why crash avoidance technologies such as lane-keeping assistance and autonomous braking are vital.
Professor Stuart Newstead, research lead and director of MUARC, said the updated ratings will empower consumers to make safer choices for themselves and the broader community.
“To minimise road trauma in the community, choosing vehicles that optimise safety in all the dimensions considered in the Used Car Safety Ratings is essential. We must consider how the vehicle protects you as the driver in a crash, the injury risk the vehicle poses to other road users, and how likely the car is to avoid a collision 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,” Professor Newstead said.
The 2024 Used Car Safety Ratings for Australia can be found here.
Please be advised that this brochure is intended for Australia only. The New Zealand edition will be available soon.
