Top 5 Safest Cars for New Families – 2024 Edition

It really is crazy to see and know how fast this year really went by. I remember sitting behind my laptop last year, around this time actually, writing out and planning out new ways to attract viewers to my website and giving the social media pages associated with this blog a facelift, only to be writing the last blog of the year once again. 

I just want to take some time (again) to thank all my dedicated readers and those who have newly discovered this site, for showing your support (in any way you can). It really means a lot that I can combine my love of cars and my love of writing together and have people actually take an interest in it. It’s thanks to all of you for your continued readership that I am where I am today with this website. So for the last time this year, let’s get into this post – more of a heartful and lighter topic than I’m sure you’ve been reading about lately – 5 of the safest cars for new families – 2024 Edition.

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I’m sure there are many of you out there that love kids (like me) and want to start a family soon, but one really important thing to keep in mind while planning for a family is the type of car you’ll drive them around in and show them off. 

Coming in at number 1 is the 2024 Acura MDX. It proudly parades around the badge awarded to it as IIHS Top Safety Pick+ accolade – an award it is all too familiar with, winning this for the 2023 model as well. It even got the highest rating from NHSTA’s review, getting 5 stars for the Front Wheel Drive versions of the luxury midsize SUV. The AWD models didn’t receive an overall rating or a rollover resistance grade, but regardless, both MDX models earned 5 stars for the side impact tests.

So what is it specifically that makes this car the best of the best? Well let’s explore the safety and assistance features for this vehicle. For starters, the active safety features (that come standard) include: automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, automatic high beams, and traffic sign recognition. Now, if you were to opt for the Technology package, you would also get: low speed braking control, parking sensors, and rain-sensing automatic windshield wipers. Of course all of this comes at a price and the base model starts at $51,500 going all the way to $74,695 for the top of the line model.

Next on the list is the 2024 BMW X3. This compact SUV was awarded a couple of different #1’s from IIHS including crashworthiness and crash avoidance, mitigation tests, and is on its way to being their Top Safety Pick+. NHTSA also recognizes this vehicle in the same way. All RWD (rear wheel drive) and AWD trim levels receive a 5 star overall safety rating from NHTSA except the M performance model that has yet to be rated. 

A wide range of safety features are available for the X3, however not all come standard. The ones that do come standard are as follows: automated emergency braking with forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and blind spot monitoring. Through the Driver Assistance Professional package, you can also get a hands-free driving system, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assist. All of this comes at a price tag starting from $47,895 for the base model, going all the way up to $62,895 for the top of the line model. 

Let’s look at the 2024 Ford Explorer now. We all know that annoying beeping reminder that our cars give us to put our seat belts on (more from a driver and front passenger POV) but surprisingly with this edition of the model, it performed poorly in this category (seat belt reminder evaluation). Nonetheless, it still earned the institute’s highest recognition of 2024 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, so it has to be making up for this lack in safety somewhere else, right? 

It is important to note that the NHTSA also gave this 3 row SUV its top 5 star grading overall as well. It even went on to pick up 5 stars each in the administration’s front and side impact tests. 

Although the grade levels for this model come with varying safety features, the ones that come standard for this car are as follows: AdvanceTrac with RSC (roll stability control), auto hold, Belt-minder, Front passenger knee airbag, LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tether Anchors for Children), safety canopy, and SOS post crash alert system. Active safety features include: automatic high beams, rear parking sensors, and Ford’s Co-Pilot360 suite – which adds a blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert, lane keeping, and automatic emergency braking. On top of all of this, it also includes adaptive cruise control which it should be noted, “can quickly decelerate without warning, depending on changes in the posted speed limits”. Base pricing starts at $48,475 and goes all the way to $68,040 for this vehicle. 

Number 4 on this list is the 2024 Genesis GV80. 2 years later, and we are still talking about the Genesis car, of course back in 2022 I wrote about the G80, but the point is the car company came back around for another end of year post! For 2024, it was actually recognized as one of the safest cars and also received an IIHS Top Safety Pick+, BUT only those made after August 2023. For 2023 (and for what it’s worth), it received 2022’s Top Safety Pick+ which was tested with older standards. Nonetheless, this luxury midsize SUV also received NHTSA’s 5 star safety rating overall, which includes receiving 5 stars for its side impact crash testing and 4 stars for the front crash test and rollover evaluations. 

Expensive as they may be, Genesis doesn’t hold back on its safety features for this model. Each trim level sees: automatic emergency braking, lane keeping, blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and a drive focus monitor, plus a highway driving assist with lane centring capability. Talk about putting safety first! To own one of these? Well, I hope you have lots of dollars in your bank account because the base model starts at $76,000 and the top of the line model is going for $94,200. 

Last but not least on this list is the 2024 Honda HR-V. Now, if you’ve been reading through my blog posts on Honda cars, you’ll know this is one of my favourite car brands not only because they make really good looking cars (my personal opinion of course) but because their cars have the reputation of being one of the safest out there. So it really makes me happy to see the HR-V making the top 5 list. 

This car received a good grade in all the crash categories it was tested in, so securing a spot for the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ was not difficult. The Front Wheel Drive also received a 5 star overall safety rating from NHTSA whereas the AWD models are unrated. They did however receive 5 stars for the front and side impact tests. 

Every HR-V comes with standard Honda sensing and the active safety technology suite includes the following: automatic emergency braking, lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and automatic high beams. The higher trim levels see a blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert and parking sensors as an upgraded addition. The base price starts at $28,960 and goes all the way up to $37,910. 

Final Thoughts

It brings me great joy to end this post for the final time this year knowing how far and how many new viewers I have welcomed to my site over the past 3 years. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and I can’t wait to write for you all again next year! See you then, and have a safe and happy holiday.