The safest used cars on our roads

Used car buyers are being urged to do their research thoroughly after the latest annual safety ratings revealed more than 120 potentially deadly models still on our roads.

The 21st edition of the Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR) were issued this week.

Compiled by the Monash University Accident Research Centre with backing from Australia’s motoring clubs, they are based on data gleaned from 8.8 million real-world accidents reported by Australian and New Zealand police between 1987 and 2019 that resulted in more than 2.2 million injuries.

This is in contrast to ANCAP new vehicle safety results that are derived from lab crash tests, track testing of driver aids and engineering analysis.

The UCSR database covers 378 different car, ute, van and SUV models manufactured between 1982 and 2019, but only those manufactured from 2000 are included in the annual published results, which rate them from one star (very poor) to five stars (excellent).

Buying a cheap car that is also safe

The very best five-star performers are also declared a Safer Pick because they not only protect the driver but also other road users and come with proven safety technology, such as electronic stability control and reversing assistants such as sensors and a camera.

In 2021 there are 30 Safer Picks among 54 five-star vehicles, while there are 121 vehicles rated poor or very poor.

Nineteen of the Safer Picks are SUVs, while small and light cars are common among the poorest-rating models. Dual-cab utes and vans also did poorly.

The latest data proves the newer a vehicle is the safer it is. The average risk of death or serious injury to the driver in a crash in a 2019 car is more than 25 per cent less than a 2010 car.

The vast majority of Safer Picks were manufactured from 2008 onwards,

“The Mitsubishi Magna (2003-2005), Suzuki Grand Vitara (1998-2005) or Nissan Micra (2011-2016) are among the worst cars for safety earning one star, compared with the Mitsubishi Outlander (2006-2012) or Toyota Prius 3 (2009-2016) which are top performers,” said the RACQ’s Lauren Ritchie.

“The data reveals those behind the wheel of the most dangerous used cars are at least eight times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than those in a five-star car.

“Cars with the lowest star rating were found to pose a danger to drivers, passengers and other road users like cyclists and pedestrians due to their lack of protection and safety technology.”

The Australian used car market is currently booming and estimated to be worth about three million sales per annum. That’s about three times the size of the new car market. With COVID and semi-conductor shortages restricting new car supply, used car prices are going up.

“We know more drivers are turning to the second-hand market to purchase their next vehicle and we want them to prioritise safety when they buy their car,” the NRMA’s Peter Khoury said.

“Older vehicles are over-represented in fatal crashes, so if you’re looking to purchase a used car, it’s really important you know the safety rating. The higher the rating, the higher your chance of surviving a serious crash.

“We know many young drivers qualifying for their provisional licence will be looking to purchase their first car and that this is more likely to be an older and less expensive model,” Mr Khoury said.

“Just two of the 29 light cars analysed received a safety rating of four stars, with none receiving a coveted five-star driver protection rating. This category also had the highest proportion of cars to receive a one-star rating.

“We strongly urge young drivers to check the used car safety rating before buying a vehicle and to choose the safest car they can afford.”

2021 Used Car Safety Ratings – Safer Picks

You can download the full report here.