As a testament to how safe all these vehicles are for families, we recommend nearly all of the the 2018 qualifiers as well as those Honorable Mentions that fell a little short only in terms of the IIHS headlight ratings. Others may be added or removed as test results from the IIHS and NHTSA are updated, as many have not yet been tested in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test.

Some models simply lack test results and may be added later, for example the Mazda CX-9 is an excellent performer in the IIHS crash tests, but has no crash test results at all from the NHTSA. What 3-row vehicles make the cut to qualify for our awards? Due to new IIHS Top Safety Pick requirements, only 9 make the cut this year so far ( Update: 10), down from 11 last year in this segment. Must have an NHTSA 5-star overall rating for 2018.Must be an IIHS Top Safety Pick for 2018.So how do we filter the list of so many family vehicles that have earned safety awards? It’s very simple and completely objective: Some are subjective and apply different standards based on personal preferences or corporate sponsors.

Many publications use only either the NHTSA crash tests OR the IIHS ratings as the basis for their recommendations, leaving an incomplete assessment of overall safety. This year, we again recognize Toyota for making all these features standard on all trim levels of many of their vehicles. That means even the least expensive Highlander and Sienna models now have advanced crash avoidance features in 2018, making these important improvements to safety easy to find on dealer’s lots! Subaru and Honda have set a nice trend for inexpensive advanced safety feature packages available on low and mid trim levels. Instead, you may now only see the overall rating and a composite frontal (driver and passenger tests) and side rating (driver, passenger and rear pole impact tests). The NHTSA ratings remain the same, but they no longer allow consumers to see details of individual crash test results for each vehicle.

Note that even models that qualify with these systems may not actually have them available on anything but the highest trim levels with pricey options packages, so we help you sort through trim levels to find the right ones! To earn IIHS awards, an auto-brake system with an “Advanced” or “Superior” rating is still required. These systems are not all created equal some are only basic warnings that no longer qualify for an award, while advanced ones can actually brake in emergency situations and some are more likely to avoid a crash than lesser systems. The IIHS also demands a front crash prevention system. Many vehicles have not had this new test, so they may only earn a “Top Safety Pick” award in 2018. Also, see last year’s awards for Safest 5-Passenger SUVs, Safest Family Sedans and Safest Used Cars with updates coming soon for 2018.įor 2018, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety not only requires a “Good” result in the driver-side small overlap crash test to qualify for a “Top Safety Pick+” rating, but now also requires a “Good” headlight rating as well an “Acceptable” rating in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test. Safest Family Vehicles for 7 or 8 Passengers in 2018Īre safety and seating at least a few kids your most important considerations when selecting a new vehicle? You aren’t alone! SafeDad helps shorten the list of dozens of very safe 7+ passenger vehicles to just a handful of the safest for 2018.

2018 7 passenger suv