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The Safest Car Brands In 2021 - Subaru Ties For Most Safety Awards

Does Subaru make the safest cars? New safety scores put Subaru at the top with 2021 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek Hybrid, Ascent, and Legacy scoring highest.

Which automakers make the safest cars? Subaru, Hyundai, and Volvo have nine models in their lineup with top safety scores for 2021 from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The 2021 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek Hybrid, Ascent, and Legacy earn the highest Top Safety Pick+ award. The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, Impreza, and WRX earn Top Safety Pick awards.

Why are the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, Impreza, and WRX rated lower than the Forester, Outback, Crosstrek Hybrid, Ascent, and Legacy? The Crosstrek, Impreza, and WRX all come standard with a manual transmission, and Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist technology is not compatible with the manual gearbox.

2021 Subaru Forester, 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, 2021 Subaru Outback

The IIHS did not test the performance-tuned 2021 Subaru WRX STI or the BRZ sports coupe.

Subaru models with EyeSight all receive a “Superior” rating in front crash prevention from the IIHS. EyeSight is now standard equipment on all 2021 Forester, Outback, Ascent, Legacy models, and all Crosstrek trims when equipped with the CVT automatic transmission.

The 2021 Subaru Ascent improves its safety rating from the 2020 model year and gets the highest Top Safety Pick+ award after being dinged last year for its headlights. All 2021 Ascent trims now come standard with LED projector headlights.

2021 Subaru Forester, 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, 2021 Subaru Outback

Subaru has an impressive safety score record

2021 Top Safety Pick + winners
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid (3 consecutive years)
Subaru Forester (15 consecutive years)
Subaru Legacy (16 consecutive years)
Subaru Outback (13 consecutive years)
Subaru Ascent (4 consecutive years)

2021 Top Safety Pick winners
Subaru Crosstrek (with EyeSight and specific headlights) (10 consecutive years).
Subaru Impreza sedan and five-door (with EyeSight and specific headlights) (14 consecutive years)
Subaru WRX (with EyeSight and specific headlights) (8 consecutive years)

Compact SUV, Subcompact SUV, Wagon, 3-Row SUV, Sedan, and Compact car shoppers interested in safety, have a one-stop-shop with the Subaru brand. The Japanese automaker scores nine models, tying Hyundai and Volvo in the latest 2021 IIHS safety ratings.

The 2021 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek Hybrid, Ascent, and Legacy earn the highest marks from IIHS. The automaker remains one of the most prolific car brands for safety in 2021.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Subaru

Comments

Jessica C Mendivil (not verified)    March 17, 2021 - 3:24AM

Subaru Outback autos compared to Volvos are very high maintenance and do NOT survive/perform head crash...I have owned seven Volvos and one Subaru Outback and was terribly frustrated with the poor performance and costly repairs that I gifted the car!