RAC has released the 2018 Used Car Safety Ratings guide, which shows your choice of second hand car could mean the difference between walking away from a crash or having life-changing injuries.
The Used Car safety ratings look at data from millions of real-world crashes to provide a rating that shows how well each vehicle protects its driver and other road users from death or serious injury in a crash.
The 2018 analysis features ratings for 296 vehicle models across several different categories, revealing 40 per cent of the second-hand cars listed score an Excellent (5 stars) or Good (4 stars) rating.
RAC Manager Vehicles and Fuels, Alex Forrest, said the Used Car Safety Ratings provide invaluable safety information for WA motorists looking to purchase a second-hand vehicle, showing buyers can choose a safe car without breaking the budget.
“These ratings provide independent advice on which second hand vehicle models provide better protection in a crash, and help the driver avoid a crash altogether,” Mr Forrest said.
The ratings are calculated by Monash University’s Accident Research Centre and are based on records from over 8 million vehicles and nearly 2 million injured road users involved in real-life crashes reported by police between 1987 to 2016.
Cars awarded the coveted Safer Pick rating provide excellent protection to their own driver, cause less serious injury to other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists in a collision, and have a lower risk of being involved in a crash.
Mr Forrest said the difference between a 5-star rated used car and a 1 or 2-star car could literally be a life saving decision.
“Testing has shown that in a vehicle-to-vehicle crash, the driver of a 2-star rated vehicle would probably receive severe head and brain injuries or even be killed, but the driver of a 5-star vehicle is more likely to walk away unhurt,” Mr Forrest said.
“Prior to purchasing a second-hand car, we urge drivers to check the safety rating of a car and choose a vehicle which has been awarded a 5-star or Safer Pick rating.”
RAC is a supporter of the Used Car Safety Ratings research program by Monash University Accident Research Centre in partnership with motoring clubs across Australia and New Zealand, and Australian State Governments.
Used Car Safety Ratings 2018 – Selection of top rated vehicles
VEHICLE |
PRICE |
Safety Rating |
|
Small / Light cars |
|
|
|
Honda City 09-13 |
From $7700 |
5 stars |
|
Volkswagen Golf VII 13-16 |
From $9000 |
5 stars |
|
Medium cars |
|
|
|
Toyota Camry 11-16 |
From $10000 |
5 stars |
|
Ford Mondeo 07-15 |
From $8000 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
Subaru Liberty / Legacy / Outback / Exiga 09-14 |
From $11000 |
5 Stars – Safer Pick |
|
Large cars |
|
|
|
Ford Falcon FG / FG-X 08-16 |
From $6000 |
5 stars |
|
Holden Statesman / Caprice WM / WN 06-16 |
From $13000 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
BMW 5 Series E60/61 03-10 |
From $14000 |
5 stars |
|
People Movers |
|
|
|
Honda Odyssey 04-09 |
From $9000 |
5 stars |
|
Kia Carnival 06-11 |
From $7000 |
5 stars |
|
Compact SUVs |
|
|
|
Volkswagen Tiguan 08-16 |
From $10000 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
Medium SUVs |
|
|
|
Toyota Kluger / Highlander 07-13 |
From $7000 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
Mazda CX-5 12-16 / CX-7 06-12 |
From $8500 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
Honda CR-V 12-15 |
From $14000 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
Suzuki Grand Vitara JT 08-16 |
From $10000 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
Mitsubishi Outlander 06-12 |
From $7000 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
Large SUVs |
|
|
|
Mazda CX-9 07-15 |
From $12000 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
Mitsubishi Pajero NS/NT/NW/NX 07-16 |
From $15000 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
Nissan Pathfinder R51 05-13 |
From $10000 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
Commercial vehicles – Vans & Utes |
|
|
|
Hyundai iLoad 08-16 |
From $8000 |
5 stars – Safer Pick |
|
Volkswagen Caravelle / Transporter / Multivan 04-15 |
From $15000 |
5 stars |
|
Holden Colorado RC 08-11 |
From $10000 |
5 stars |
|
Ford / Mazda Ranger / BT-50 11-15 |
From $15000 |
5 stars |
|
Ford Falcon Ute FG / FG-X 08-16 |
From $8000 |
5 stars |
Prices sourced from publicly available used car listings in Western Australia, September 2018
