Safest Cars in the World

When it comes to machines, be it automobiles or anything else, safety is of utmost importance. Overlooking how safe a machine is for its users and those around it when it is operating can be life-risking. This is why, since the dawn of cars, manufacturers have tried to make them as safe as possible, while keeping their manufacturing costs in check. Thanks to the technological advancements over the years, today, cars are safer than ever, and there are many cars that not only protect passengers inside but also autonomously prevent the occurrence of accidents. In this article, we list the safest cars in the world in a bid to appreciate the efforts that went into making them the automotive marvels they are.

Tesla Model 3

The Tesla Model 3 sedan is the entry point to the Tesla world, and with a 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety test, it is one of the safest cars in the world. While Tesla is not known for the build quality of its cars, the American EV maker goes all nine yards in equipping their cars with as many safety features as possible. The Tesla Model 3 is loaded with eight airbags and many Level-2 ADAS features. With such an impressive set of safety features, in the Euro NCAP safety test, the Model 3 has proven it is 90 percent safe for adult passengers, 93 percent safe for child occupants, 89 percent safe for pedestrians, and 87 percent accurate in mitigating accidents with its driver-assistance systems.

Tesla Model 3 Specifications

• Battery: 57.5 kWh, 79 kWh, 82 kWh
• Range: 520 km – 629 km
• Airbags: 8 airbags
• Fuel Type: Electricity
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Electric sedan

Nio Firefly

The Nio Firefly, aka the Firefly EV, is an electric subcompact hatchback produced by a new Chinese startup, Nio. Essentially, Firefly is a sub-brand of Nio, and its first car, the Firefly EV, has secured a place among the safest cars in the world. It has scored a 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety test, with best-ever scores for adult protection. According to the Euro NCAP crashworthiness test, the Firefly EV is 96 percent safe for adult passengers, 87 percent safe for child occupants, 82 percent safe for pedestrians, and 86 percent accurate in mitigating accidents with its driver-assistance systems (ADAS). In European markets, the Firefly EV competes with small EVs of brands like Fiat, MINI, and Volkswagen, for example, the MINI Cooper SE. The Firefly EV is equipped with nine airbags and multiple safety features, including a Level-2 ADAS safety suite.

Nio Firefly Specifications

• Battery: 42.1 kWh
• Range: 330 km – 420 km
• Airbags: 9 airbags
• Fuel Type: Electricity
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Electric Hatchback

Smart #5

The Smart #5, called ‘Hashtag Five,’ is part Chinese and part German electric SUV. Smart is a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely, a Chinese manufacturer, which owns brands like Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, ZEEKR, etc. The #5 is huge, in fact Smart’s biggest car, and it is 4.7 meters long, 1.9 meters wide and 1.7 meters tall. It looks like a shrunken Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon and has a hint of Mercedes EQB in it. The #5 has outshone the toughest Mercedes cars and many other strong cars in terms of overall passenger safety and sits among the safest cars in the world, with a 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety test. According to the Euro NCAP crashworthiness test, the #5 is 88 percent safe for adult passengers, 93 percent safe for child occupants, 84 percent safe for pedestrians, and 92 percent accurate in mitigating accidents with its driver-assistance systems.

Smart #5 Specifications

• Battery: 74.4 kWh & 94 kWh
• Range: 464 km – 590 km
• Airbags: 8 airbags
• Fuel Type: Electricity
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Electric SUV

Lynk & Co 02

The Lynk & Co 02 is a compact electric crossover produced by Geely-owned Chinese-Swedish automaker Lynk & Co. Known as Z20 in China and called Zero-two, this electric crossover is nearly as large as its rival, Skoda Elroq and like the Elroq, it competes with the Volkswagen ID.3, Peugeot e-3008, and Renault Scenic in European markets. The Zero-two is built on Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) and comes with a rear-wheel-drive setup. In the Euro NCAP crashworthiness test, the Zero-two proved it 90 percent safe for adult passengers, 87 percent safe for child occupants, 83 percent safe for pedestrians, and 89 percent accurate in precluding accidents with its driver-assistance systems, scoring a full 5-star rating and securing a place among the safest cars in the world.

Lynk & Co 02 Specifications

• Battery: 66 kWh
• Range: 445 km
• Airbags: 6 airbags
• Fuel Type: Electricity
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Electric SUV

Polestar 3

Volvo’s cousin brand, Polestar, has one of the safest cars in the world on sale in the form of Polestar 3. It is a five-seater full-size robust electric SUV with a host of safety features, which, along with its tough body, have scored a 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety test. In the test, the Polestar 3 has been found to be 90 percent safe for adult passengers, 93 percent safe for child occupants, 79 percent safe for pedestrians, and 83 percent successful in preventing accidents with its driver-assistance systems. Against rivals like the BMW iX, Audi Q8 e-tron, and Tesla Model X, the Polestar 3 presents itself as a compelling proposition.

Polestar 3 Specifications

• Battery: 111 kWh
• Range: 593 km – 604 km
• Airbags: 9 airbags
• Fuel Type: Electricity
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Electric SUV

ZEEKR 7X

Another one from the Chinese conglomerate, Geely, the ZEEKR 7X electric SUV, is among the safest cars in the world. Nearly as large as the Tesla Model Y, the ZEEKR 7X is built with high-quality material and packs a host of safety features, including many ADAS features. This package has helped it earn a 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety test. The ZEEKR 7X has proven it as 91 percent safe for adult passengers, 90 percent safe for child occupants, 78 percent safe for pedestrians, and its driver-assistance systems are 83 percent successful in warding off accidents.

ZEEKR 7X Specifications

• Battery: 111 kWh
• Range: 593 km – 604 km
• Airbags: 9 airbags
• Fuel Type: Electricity
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Electric SUV

Togg T10X

The Togg T10X electric SUV is the first car of the recently established Turkish car manufacturer, Togg, and it quickly placed itself among the safest cars in the world. Performing exceptionally well in the Euro NCAP safety test, the T10X secured a 5-star rating and came across as 94 percent safe for adult passengers, 85 percent safe for child occupants, and 79 percent safe for pedestrians. Moreover, its driver-assistance systems are 80 percent successful in avoiding accidents. The T10X is almost as large as a Hyundai Creta and laden with premium features like a selfie camera, panoramic sunroof, 12-speaker Meridian sound system, and more.

Togg T10X Specifications

• Battery: 52.4 kWh and 88.5 kWh
• Range: 314 km – 523 km
•  Airbags: 7 airbags
• Fuel Type: Electricity
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Electric SUV

IM IM6

The IM6 SUV comes from IM, which refers to ‘Intelligent Mobility.’ It is a Chinese EV-centric brand housed by MG’s parent brand, SAIC Motor. As a matter of fact, the IM6 was showcased at Auto Expo 2025, which was organised in Noida. In traditional Chinese fashion, the IM6 is loaded with many technological perks and a super-sensitive and accurately calibrated ADAS system, which has made it one of the safest cars in the world. With a lot of safety features, the IM6 has scored a 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety test, and it came across as 90 percent safe for adult passengers, 85 percent safe for child occupants, 83 percent safe for pedestrians, while its driver-assistance systems are 87 percent successful in preventing accidents.

IM IM6 Specifications

• Battery: 100 kWh
• Range: 504 km – 625 km
• Airbags: 7 airbags
• Fuel Type: Electricity
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Electric SUV

IM IM5

Following the IM6 is its sedan version, the IM5, also among the safest cars in the world. With a slightly different design, the IM5 offers the same set of features and is just behind the IM6 in the Euro NCAP list of safest cars based on the aggregate scores of adult protection, child protection, pedestrian protection, and advanced safety assist (ADAS). Like the IM6, the IM5 has scored a 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety test. It is found to be 89 percent safe for adult passengers, 85 percent safe for child occupants, 85 percent safe for pedestrians, while its driver-assistance systems are 87 percent successful in preventing accidents. In international markets, the IM5 competes with the Hyundai IONIQ 6, Tesla Model 3, and BYD Seal.

IM IM5 Specifications

• Battery: 73.5 kWh and 100 kWh
• Range: 490 km – 710 km
• Airbags: 7 airbags
• Fuel Type: Electricity
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Electric Sedan

Audi A6 e-tron

The first European car on this list, the Audi A6 e-tron, has made a name for itself with its safety standards and is recognised as one of the safest cars in the world. Equipped with a big Level-2 ADAS safety suite and with a robust body, the A6 e-tron has scored a 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety test. In the test, it was found to be 92 percent safe for adult passengers, 91 percent safe for child occupants, 75 percent safe for pedestrians, while its driver-assistance systems are 80 percent successful in preventing accidents.

Audi A6 Specifications

• Battery: 75.8 kWh and 94.9 kWh
• Range: 704 km – 746 km
• Airbags: 8 airbags
• Fuel Type: Electricity
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Electric Sedan

Summary

As far as cars are concerned, passenger safety should come ahead of all other characteristics. Thankfully, the world has woken up to this fact, and today, a large contingent of buyers prioritises passenger safety above all else. Since prevention is better than cure, most carmakers are focusing on preventing car accidents, and thanks to the radar, sensors, and camera-based ADAS technology, many cars in the world are more than capable of preventing accidents without any manual intervention. On the list of the safest cars in the world, all cars are equipped with ADAS features. Another key point to note is that many of the safest cars in the world are Chinese. Clearly, the Chinese automotive industry has made radical developments, and it is time to dispel the idea that Chinese products are unreliable. Another notable point is that all the safest cars in the world are electric-powered. 

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