A sports car can wow friends and family while also adding style and flash to extended rides. However, safety is an essential factor in addition to great technical capabilities and sleek eye-catching appearance. Though safety ratings consider the efficiency of lighting, driving assist features, driver and passenger restraint systems, and braking and handling features, the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), or Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) crash test ratings are a key focus of auto safety.
If you're looking for a sports car and want to make sure that safety is one of the key built-in characteristics, here are five of the safest models on the market.
10 2017 Hyundai Veloster
Hyundai packed the 2017 Hyundai Veloster with safety features for both the interior and exterior. This car comes standard with anti-lock braking and electronic brake force distribution. When driving along any road, you'll keep on course, in control, and balanced. Additionally, a rearview camera will be available via the 7-inch display, providing an additional pair of eyes and ears while backing up.
The 2017 Hyundai Veloster is rated five stars overall by the NHTSA, with four stars for frontal impact and rollover resistance. The Veloster has a Good grade from the IIHS in three categories: frontal impact protection, side-impact protection, and the difficult small front-overlap test.
9 2019 Porsche Taycan
Euro NCAP safety experts granted the Taycan a maximum five-star rating during its 2019 testing. The car performed very well in terms of protecting adult and child occupants. The number of safety systems included as standard should provide potential customers with peace of mind. Eight airbags are included, and an active bonnet protects pedestrians. Four or five three-point belts with force limiters are standard, depending on the number of seats. Additionally, there are two Isofix points in the rear, as well as an optional front passenger seat airbag with a deactivation function.
A RECAS (Rear-End Accident Alert System) alerts oncoming vehicles to the possibility of a rear-end collision. Additionally, a smart Porsche InnoDrive system utilizes navigation data, radar, and video sensors to automatically alter the driving speed in response to speed restrictions, topology, roundabouts, bends, and traffic. It also includes active lane-keeping assist, swerving assist, and junction assist, which alerts the driver if they have failed to notice oncoming traffic.
8 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Since its debut in 1989, the MX-5 Miata has grown to become one of the world's most popular sports cars. This compact two-seat convertible emphasizes refined driving dynamics, foregoing convenience and frills in favor of pure driver involvement. When it was subjected to Euro NCAP's rigorous testing in 2015, the Mazda MX-5 received four stars out of a maximum five.
The automobile received an 84 percent rating for adult protection and an 80 percent rating for child protection. Pedestrian protection, on the other hand, was a whopping 93 percent, courtesy of a deployable bonnet. The MX-5 comes standard with airbags, anti-lock brakes, and electronic stability control, but Mazda also provides its i-ACTIVSENSE active safety system, which can be found on the Mazda3 hatchback and Mazda6 saloon. Lane departure warning and blind-spot monitoring are two of these systems.
7 BMW Z4
EuroNCAP rated the BMW Z4 as one of the safest vehicles on the market, awarding it a 91 percent rating for vulnerable road users, a 97 percent rating for adult drivers and passengers, and an 87 percent rating for minors. Additionally, it earned a 76 percent rating for safety assistance. The Z4 comes standard with all of the safety features you'd expect from a new car these days, including anti-lock brakes (ABS), stability control, and tire pressure monitoring, as well as today's must-haves like autonomous emergency braking.
However, if you want all the Z4's safety features, you'll have to 'spec up' from the options list. The options list includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, and parking assistance, as well as intelligent adaptive LED headlights, whose primary beam will adjust in shape to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers at speeds of 44mph and above.
6 Corvette C8
Conversations about the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C8 Coupe often center on performance characteristics such as its incredible track skills and a host of aftermarket enhancements, making this one of the most customizable sports cars on the market. However, the Corvette has recently grabbed news for a different reason: safety.
A Corvette owner named Carlton Phillips posted a story on the Facebook group C8 - The Chevy Under Glass of what could have been a fatal vehicle accident in his C8, but for the fact that the car's ultimate safety structure allowed him to walk away with no major injuries.
5 Subaru WRX
The Subaru WRX is hard to beat in the new car marketplace when it comes to affordable speed. The WRX delivers exceptional performance both in turns and on the straights thanks to its grippy all-wheel-drive system and forceful turbocharged engine. The Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system on the WRX provides a stable ride by distributing power to get the most traction. Together with the Traction Control System, this AWD technology will keep the automobile in control no matter what the road conditions are.
But the WRX isn’t just fun, it’s also safe. Really safe. In fact: The WRX has been named one of the safest cars on the market in America today by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which has given the sporty Subaru the title of Top Safety Pick+ in the independent industry safety group's 2021 model rankings.
4 2019 Lexus RC-F
The 2019 Lexus RC combines excellent crash test results with standard safety technology to create a winning combination. The car has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick Plus crash rating. The Lexus Safety System+ package features adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automated emergency braking, and lane-keep assist.
For the first ten years of ownership, Lexus Enform Safety Connect is free, and it allows you access to response centers in the event of an emergency. The most peace of mind came from automatic collision notification, an emergency aid button, and a stolen car tracker. The 2019 Lexus RC F avoided a collision in the IIHS tests at 12 and 25 mph.
3 2021 Dodge Challenger
The 2021 Dodge Challenger is as safe as it is powerful, as evidenced by its NHTSA safety rating. The NHTSA has given the 2021 Challenger a five-star overall rating. The overall frontal barrier crash rating, the rollover rating, and the driver's frontal barrier crash rating all received four stars, while the combined side rating front seat, the overall side crash rating, and the driver's frontal pole crash rating all received five stars. In comparison to its competitors, the ratings received by the R/T show that the Challenger is a reliable vehicle.
In regard to its structure, Dodge has made a concerted effort to assure the Challenger's utmost safety in the event of unknown or unfavorable situations. It features front and rear crumple zones designed to absorb impact energy and redirect it away from the passengers, reducing the chance of major injuries. Its sturdy frame is made of high-strength steel to ensure the safety of its occupants.
2 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
The Giulia, which is based on a lightweight rear-wheel-drive chassis, is the first of a new generation of Alfas, and it is claimed to deliver class-leading performance and agility. Lane departure warning, front collision warning, an integrated braking system, and autonomous emergency braking are standard on all Alfa Giulia models. This package of safety features contributed to the Giulia receiving a high safety rating from Euro NCAP during the car's 2016 crash test.
It obtained a maximum of five stars and a safety rating of 98 percent for adult occupants, the greatest of any car at the time. Child occupant protection was rated at 81 percent—another great result—pedestrian protection was scored at 69 percent, while the Giulia's safety technology received a 60 percent rating.
1 Tesla Model 3
Tesla's Model 3 has earned high safety ratings from organizations in North America, Europe, and Australia, including a five-star crash test rating from consumer information agency EuroNCAP and a 2019 Top Safety Pick+ certification from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The 2021 Tesla Model 3 is an incredibly safe compact premium sports car, achieving 5 stars in every category of safety. This covers a frontal collision, a side collision, a rollover, and an overall safety rating. Additionally, the NHTSA commended Tesla for providing above-average basic safety technology. Forward collision warning, lane departure warning, crash impending braking, and dynamic brake support are among these technologies.