Buyers demand a lot from their SUVs, certainly more than they did 20 or 30 years ago. These days, the best SUVs need to be fuel efficient, practical, packed with clever tech and – crucially – they must be safe. After all, you want to be sure you and your family are going to be well protected in a crash by choosing one of the safest SUVs.
Safety was once little more than an afterthought when an SUV was designed. But some of the latest SUVs are among the safest cars currently on sale. That’s according to Euro NCAP, the leading car safety body in Europe. It assesses the safety of virtually every new car on the market, evaluating its performance in a comprehensive set of crash tests and the effectiveness of its safety systems.
There are four areas of focus: adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection and driver assistance systems. Once the tightly controlled mayhem of the testing has finished, the percentage scores in each area are used to determine an overall star rating from zero to five.
Below, you’ll find the top 10 safest SUVs available to buy new right now, according to NCAP’s results. Each car scored a full five-star rating and its position on this list is determined by its combined score from the four areas of focus. You’ll only find SUVs assessed since 2020, when NCAP last updated its testing procedures.
Top scoring SUVs in each area Euro NCAP assesses:
Best SUV for adult occupant protection: Tesla Model Y – 97%
Best SUVs for child occupant protection: Nissan Qashqai, Mazda CX-60 – 91%
Best SUVs for vulnerable road user protection: Mazda CX-60, Lexus RX – 89%
Best SUV for driver assistance systems: Tesla Model Y – 98%
The safest SUVs on sale in 2024
Electric SUV majors on driver assistance technology
The Tesla Model Y is one of the UK’s best-selling electric cars, and one of the best-selling SUVs. That’s because it ticks all the family car boxes. It’s very spacious, it’s comfortable, its boot is enormous. Sure, it lacks range compared to some more recent rivals, but the convenience of the Tesla Supercharger network offsets that.
Another thing the Model Y has lots of is driver assistance tech. It’s highly effective, as well, scoring a near-perfect 98% in Euro NCAP’s tests. That’s better than any other car achieved. It also scored the highest marks yet for adult protection, plus it’s very safe for children and other road users.
Read our full Tesla Model Y review
Pros
- Long range, great performance
- Spacious, family-friendly cabin
- Access to Tesla's charging network
Cons
- Very firm ride
- Some quality issues
Lexus RX
Distinctive premium SUV with a heavy emphasis on safety
We think the Lexus RX is the most stylishly distinctive SUV you can buy. You certainly won’t lose it in a car park, especially if you go for one of the bolder colour options. The style extends to the spacious and deeply comfortable interior, which features a palate of tactile patterns and textures. The driving experience is very much biased towards comfort, but that suits the car’s vibe.
Safety has always been a particular concern for Lexus, which the RX’s performance displays. It scores in every area of NCAP’s assessment are strong and consistent, showing Lexus has taken a holistic approach to safety. It also ties with the Mazda CX-60 for providing the best vulnerable road user protection of any car.
Read our full Lexus RX review
Pros
- High-quality, tactile interior
- Deeply refined and comfortable
- Infotainment is much improved
Cons
- Not a car for driving enthusiasts
- Ride can be unsettled
Lexus NX
Mid-size premium SUV is a solid performer
Getting a Lexus NX is a leftfield choice when there are higher-profile midsize premium SUVs available from Audi, BMW and Mercedes. But it’s a worthwhile choice. It’s stylish, comfortable, quiet, very fuel efficient – particularly the plug-in hybrid – and it’s built like the proverbial Swiss bank vault. Its boot is on the small side, though.
It’s extremely safe, as well, albeit with a couple of caveats. Like the Tesla Model Y, it has an airbag between the front seats that stops occupants bashing their heads together in a side impact, though it doesn’t work quite as well here. And it’s one of several cars here that were marked down for their lack of a built-in child seat and front passenger seat Isofix mounting points.
Read our full Lexus NX review
Pros
- Comfortable and refined
- Clever hybrid system
- Good infotainment system
Cons
- Not particularly exciting
- Confusing steering wheel controls
The safest car among the UK’s bestsellers
The Nissan Qashqai consistently features in the top three of the UK’s bestselling cars list. That’s because it’s become the default choice for anyone in need of a smallish family car that’s hugely practical, reasonably stylish, efficient and undemanding to drive. It’s also the safest car on the bestsellers list.
The Qashqai scores a particularly strong 95% for the effectiveness of its comprehensive driver assistance systems, which Nissan markets under the tag Intelligent Mobility. Nissan also places equal emphasis on adult and child occupant protection, scoring 91% for both. Which makes up a decidedly lacklustre vulnerable road user score.
Read our full Nissan Qashqai review
Pros
- Facelift adds style
- Loaded with features
- Efficient, quiet hybrid
Cons
- Very strong competition
- Petrol engine is nothing special
Nissan’s large SUVs is the safest of its type
The latest Nissan X-Trail is a giant leap forward from its predecessor. It looks better for a start, and its interior is no longer cheap and nasty. But the previous virtues of space, practicality and generous equipment levels remain intact. To that you can add a perfectly pleasant driving experience and hybrid efficiency. Shame the seven-seater doesn’t really do what it says on the tin.
The X-Trail shows how consistent Nissan’s engineering standards are, as it posts virtually the same scores as the smaller Qashqai. It only loses out on child protection, by a measly 1%. Worth noting its scores make it the safest larger SUV from a mainstream brand.
Read our full Nissan X-Trail review
Pros
- Smooth and refined hybrids
- Very spacious for five
- Offers excellent value
Cons
- Forget the seven-seater
- Not much powertrain choice
What it lacks in range it compensates for in safety
There’s a lot to like about the Toyota bZ4X and its badge-engineered Subaru Solterra cousin, which gets the same set of Euro NCAP scores. They look pretty good, they’re reasonably stylish, comfortable and pleasant to drive. They’re surprisingly capable driving off-road, as well, more so than any comparable electric SUV. But their range of well under 300 miles isn’t good enough when some rivals get near 400 miles.
Still, both the Toyota and Subaru put in a very creditable performance in NCAP’s assessment. Their marks for adult, child and vulnerable road user protection look a bit average on this list – adult protection in the back seat is a bit lacking – but they’re actually pretty good in the grand scheme. 91% for the driver assistance systems bumps up the total score.
Read our full Toyota bZ4X review
Read our full Subaru Solterra review
Pros
- Long 10-year warranty for Toyota
- Excellent infotainment
- Comfortable to drive
Cons
- Poor range in cold weather
- No rear wiper or glovebox
Smart #3
A quirky electric SUV with practicality behind its style
The Smart #3 continues the brand’s reinvention from a maker of tiny city cars to one based around electric SUVs. Designed by Mercedes and engineering by Chinese automotive giant Gelly (which owns Volvo and Lotus, among many others), it’s a sleek and quirkly stylish car that’s usefully spacious and practical, and rather good to drive.
The #3 scores reassuringly consistently across the board in NCAP’s assessment. 84% for vulnerable road user protection is particularly good when you consider the Nissan Qashqai – which is about the same size – only scored 70%. Perhaps the difference not having an engine in the front makes. 85% for driver assistance isn’t great in this company; we found the driver attention monitor rather annoying.
Read our full Smart #3 review
Pros
- Looks a bit out of the ordinary
- Surprisingly spacious
- Decent driving range possible
Cons
- Tech can be irritating
- Can get quite expensive
Smart #1
A great electric SUV with loads of safety equipment
The Smart #1 was the first instalment in the brand’s reinvention and it set a pretty good tone. A rival to the likes of the Hyundai Kona Electric and Peugeot e-2008, it has a style all its own and a spacious and flexible interior, it can go quite a long a way on a charge and it’s pretty good to drive. With 272hp in base model form, it’s really very quick, as well.
It also posts the second-highest score for adult protection on this list – 96% is a truly remarkable achievement for a car this size. Conversely, 71% for vulnerable road user protection is the second worst on this list. Marks for child protection and driver assistance are very strong, though we found the overbearing driver attention monitor is deeply irritating.
Read our full Smart #1 review
Pros
- Spacious and flexible interior
- Strong performance
- Generous standard features
Cons
- Annoying safety equipment
- Brabus model doesn't handle well
If you want the best for your kids, look no further
The Mazda CX-60 is a very likeable thing. We love the way it looks inside and out, the interior is made from lovely tactile materials, it feels great to drive and it’s very good value. Unusually these days, it’s at its best with the big 3.3-litre diesel engine. The plug-in hybrid may be more on-trend but it’s a rough, jerky system that can ruin an otherwise very pleasant driving experience.
There’s no doubting the CX-60’s safety, though. It scores the top marks for any SUV in child protection and vulnerable road user protection – the latter is particularly impressive given the thing’s bluff front end. Adult protection is very strong as well, but its position on this list is dragged down by a sub-par 76% for its driver assistance systems, which we found a bit irksome in use.
Read our full Mazda CX-60 review
Pros
- Excellent diesel engines
- Affordable price tag
- Upmarket interior
Cons
- Unimpressive ride quality
- Jittery plug-in hybrid powertrain
BMW X1
BMW’s entry-level SUV has very strong safety credentials
The BMW X1 may be the German brand’s smallest SUV but it’s very much a scaled-down version of its bigger rangemates. So there’s loads of space in a properly upmarket interior, you get the same tech as the bigger cars and it feels just as sharp to drive. There’s a vast choice of powertrains, as well, including petrol engines and plug-in hybrids and the electric iX1.
The X1 gets its highest score for the drive assistance features, which include a driver attention monitor that analyses steering wheel movements to deduce whether you need a break. Adult and child protection ratings are strong, as well, though vulnerable road user protection lets it down.
Read our full BMW X1 review
Pros
- Very practical interior
- Feels great to drive
- Clever on-board tech
Cons
- Firm ride quality
- Pricey PHEV models
How is an SUV’s safety tested?
Car manufacturers voluntarily send new models to have their safety assessed by Euro NCAP at one of several facilities around Europe – including in the UK. They generally send what’s likely to be the bestselling model, usually in left-hand-drive form though some UK-market right-hand-drive cars are assessed, as well.
There are getting on for 20 elements to Euro NCAP’s assessment. They include various crash tests that show how well the car protects adults and children inside the car, and pedestrians and cyclists outside. The driver assistance systems’ effectiveness is tested, as well.
For the crash tests, dummies of different sizes are used that mimic how a human would move in an impact and record the G-forces experienced. That data is used to work out what injuries might be sustained. It’s also combined with super slow-motion camera footage and examination of the wreckage to determine the car’s scores in each area of the assessment and its overall star rating.
Which is the safest SUV car?
The Tesla Model Y is the safest SUV on sale in the UK, scoring 364 out of 400 across the four areas of safety that Euro NCAP assesses – adult, children and vulnerable road user protection, and driver assistance features. It’s also the second-safest car of any sort sold in the UK. Of particular note are its near-perfect scores of 97% and 98% respectively for adult protection and driver assistance.
If you’re not ready to make the switch to electric, the Lexus RX is the highest-scoring non-electric SUV, on 357 out of 400. And special mention to the Nissan Qashqai. It may be at the more affordable end of the price spectrum but it scored an impressive 347, which makes it the fourth safest SUV on sale.
Which SUV has the best child safety rating?
The Mazda CX-60 and Nissan Qashqai can lay claim to being the safest SUV for child occupants, both scoring 91% in that part of Euro NCAP’s assessment. A child is likely to walk away from a crash at less than 40mph more-or-less uninjured, which is very reassuring. All that prevented the cars scoring higher was the lack of a built-in child seat and Isofix mounting points on the front passenger seat.
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