10 of the safest cars you can buy

It’s a fact of life that new cars get safer every year, but protecting yourself and your family from danger on the roads doesn’t have to cost the earth if you buy a nearly new car. We’ve trawled the latest Euro NCAP figures to pick out eight of our favourite new and used cars which have earned a five-star safety rating. Find out more about how a car earns a five-star safety rating, or read on for our favourite safe family cars.

Tesla Model 3 (2025)

Adult occupant rating: 90%

Child occupant rating: 93%

Pedestrian protection: 89%

Driver assistance rating: 87%

The Tesla Model 3 isn't the newest EV on the block, but it's still one of the safest cars on the road. The child occupant rating in particular is exceptional, so if you've got kids there's more to the Model 3 than its whoopie cushion mode and the ability to play games on its screen. Its results are almost as fantastic for pedestrian and adult protection, too. While Euro NCAP has recently called Tesla's Autopilot system 'misleading' – it wrongly suggests the car can drive itself – the Model 3 does have plenty of driver assistance software, and more if you pay for the Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving packages. Still cheaper to pay attention to the road, mind.

Shop used Tesla Model 3 cars for sale or read our Tesla Model 3 review

Mercedes CLA (2025)

Adult occupant rating: 94%

Child occupant rating: 89%

Pedestrian protection: 93%

Driver assistance rating: 85%

Not only is the latest Mercedes CLA one of the longest-range electric cars you can buy, but it's also one of the safest. It was awarded a Best In Class rating by Euro NCAP when it was put through its paces in 2025, and you can see from the scores above that it performed well across the board. Alongside the long-legged EV, there's also a hybrid version of the CLA, and you can get both in a 'Shooting Brake' estate body style, too.

Read more about the new Mercedes CLA here

Mini Cooper E (2025)

Adult occupant rating: 89%

Child occupant rating: 87%

Pedestrian protection: 77%

Driver assistance rating: 79%

There's no need to worry about some small cars being safe – just look at the great results the Mini Cooper E achieved in 2025's Euro NCAP testing. It's worth pointing out that the electric and petrol Mini use completely different underpinnings, so these results only apply to the electric versions; the petrol Mini still scored five stars but marginally lower scores for adult and child protection. It's another string to the Mini Cooper's bow, along with fun handling, a range of around 180 miles (240 for the Cooper SE), a crystal-clear infotainment screen and the unmistakable styling.

Shop used Mini Cooper cars for sale or read our Mini Cooper review

Audi Q4 e-tron (2025)

Adult occupant rating: 91%

Child occupant rating: 87%

Pedestrian protection: 79%

Driver assistance rating: 73%

The Audi Q4 is the Audi for you if you want something Q3-sized but fully electric. It looks really smart, it's spacious and it boasts all the Audi touchpoints and interior trimmings. Rare small-battery cars manage around 200 miles to a charge, while the larger of the batteries ups that to around 300 miles between charges. The Q4, which shares its underpinnings with the likes of the Skoda Enyaq and Volkswagen ID.4, scored very well in its crash test, so you can relax with total peace of mind if you're buying one as a family wagon.

Shop used Audi Q4 cars for sale or read our Audi Q4 review

Audi A6 e-tron (2025)

Adult occupant rating: 92%

Child occupant rating: 91%

Pedestrian protection: 75%

Driver assistance rating: 80%

Audi knows how to make a safe car – the new Q5 SUV got similarly good scores, but the sleeker A6 e-tron shows  SUVs aren't the only option when it comes to safety. Scoring over 90% for both adult and child protection is deeply impressive, not to mention incredibly reassuring. Note that this is for the electric A6, although the petrol one isn't far behind – when it was tested in 2024, it scored 87% for adult protection and 88% for child protection.

Read more about the Audi A6 e-tron and its front passenger touchscreen

Cupra Terramar (2025)

Adult occupant rating: 89%

Child occupant rating: 87%

Pedestrian protection: 82%

Driver assistance rating: 76%

For a brand focused on sportiness, it's a little confusing that Cupra sells not one, but two family SUVs based on the Volkswagen Tiguan. The Terramar is the newest one, blending the sporty looks of the smaller Formentor with family-friendly space and a plug-in hybrid that offers up to 70 miles of electric driving. So if you want the granite-like strength of the Tiguan with a sportier edge, the Terramar delivers. Cupra's electric coupe-SUV, the Tavascan, also scored five stars and 89% for adult protection when it was tested in 2024.

Shop used Cupra Terramar cars for sale or read our Cupra Terramar review

Volvo EX90 (2025)

Adult occupant rating: 92%

Child occupant rating: 93%

Pedestrian protection: 82%

Driver assistance rating: 86%

Shockingly, nearly all crash test dummies are based on men, which doesn't take into account the differences in anatomy between men and women. Volvo is one of the few companies to use dummies that are representative of both men and women, and it even uses a dummy of a heavily pregnant woman. Volvo's seats and side impact protection system have been designed to protect everybody.

According to Volvo, the EX90 is the safest car it's ever built. It boasts an extensive suite of driver assistance and collision avoidance technology, and its scores above will give you true peace of mind that your family are safe. The flagship EX90 is out of reach for the majority of buyers but, in recent years, the cheaper EX30 and C40 have both scored very well in Euro NCAP tests, too.

Leapmotor B10 (2025)

Adult occupant rating: 93%

Child occupant rating: 93%

Pedestrian protection: 84%

Driver assistance rating: 85%

If you enjoy explaining to people what on earth you're driving and why you didn't just choose something familiar, you'll like the Leapmotor B10. There's a forward-thinking interior with serious tech and lots of passenger space, and a composed driving experience that'll suit you if you just want to get from A to B without any stress. Leapmotor is part of Stellantis (which owns companies like Vauxhall and Peugeot), and the brand is rapidly expanding its model lineup in the UK.

Read our Leapmotor B10 review

BYD Seal 6 (2025)

Adult occupant rating: 92%

Child occupant rating: 90%

Pedestrian protection: 84%

Driver assistance rating: 85%

Behind its fairly generic styling, the BYD Seal 6 has a few tricks up its sleeve to appeal to UK buyers. Available as a saloon or an estate, the Seal 6 packs a plug-in hybrid powertrain that's said to do up to 935 miles of total range, of which 30-65 miles can be done on electric power, depending on the version. The Seal 6 is also keenly priced, undercutting a BMW 330e by a whopping £13,000. Of course, there are also strong safety scores for occupants.

Read more about the BYD Seal 6 or check out our BYD model range guide

Mazda CX-5

Adult occupant rating: 90%

Child occupant rating: 89%

Pedestrian protection: 93%

Driver assistance rating: 83%

The latest Mazda CX-5 is an all-new car, despite looking very similar to the outgoing model. It's surprisingly good to drive for a family hauler, although its non-turbo engine means the available power is locked away at the top end of the rev range, so it's occasionally a bit noisy. Much more passenger space and a larger boot than before mean the new CX-5 is great for families or hobbyists, and it scored well across the board in its 2025 Euro NCAP test.

Read our review of the new Mazda CX-5 or shop used Mazda CX-5 cars for sale