Compare the safest SUVs

High-quality safe SUVs from rated and reviewed dealers

Sell my car
Rated 4.5/5 from 62,189 reviews
Tesla Model Y Exterieur weiß Front

The safest SUVs in the UK of 2024

If you’re on the lookout for a brand-new SUV, chances are you’ve got a family in tow. And if you’ve got a family to cart about from place to place, it’s fair to assume that safety is probably going to be right at the top of your priority list. So what are the safest SUVs on sale, then?

Euro NCAP, the people responsible for awarding a car its safety rating based on a rigorous testing procedure, take many things into account. They award a score for adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user (IE pedestrians and cyclists) protection, and safety assistance systems such as auto-emergency braking. All up, there are 157 points to be had.

Naturally, all of the SUVs below have a five-star rating, but if you want to drill down into the nitty-gritty to find out exactly what is the best safety rated SUV on sale, read on.

BMW iX

1. BMW iX

Black Friday deal
9/10
BMW iX review
Battery range up to 382 miles

What's good

  • Heaps of very clever technology
  • Stunning interior design
  • Excellent surround-view camera

What’s not so good

  • It's a really heavy car
  • No storage in the front...
  • ...and alternatives offer more space in the boot
Not only is the BMW iX one of the best large electric SUVs, it’s also one of the safest. The big BMW is absolutely packed with safety features, and the use of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic in the safety structure means the iX holds up well in a collision.

When tested by Euro NCAP, the iX achieved the full five stars with a 91% score for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupants, 73% for protecting vulnerable road users, and 81% for its safety assistance systems. There are some cars on this list with even more impressive scores, but the iX takes the top spot because it has five stars from Euro NCAP and a 9/10 rating from carwow’s expert reviewers.

What's good

  • Heaps of very clever technology
  • Stunning interior design
  • Excellent surround-view camera

What’s not so good

  • It's a really heavy car
  • No storage in the front...
  • ...and alternatives offer more space in the boot
Tesla Model Y
2024
Family Values Award
Highly Commended

2. Tesla Model Y

8/10
Tesla Model Y review
Battery range up to 372 miles

What's good

  • Excellent performance
  • Long range and ease of charging
  • Loads of luggage space

What’s not so good

  • Not very comfortable for a family SUV
  • Poor rear visibility
  • No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
Tesla’s excellent electric Model Y is one of the safest SUV on sale. It scored the full five stars during Euro NCAP testing, with respective ratings of 97%, 87%, 82% and 98% for adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection and safety assist systems.

As well as being impressively safe, the Model Y also offers a battery range of up to 331 miles, while also having serious performance and impressive luggage space. The UK doesn't get the seven-seat Model Y offered in some markets, but give the rearmost row is pretty tight when fitted, that's not the dealbreaker it might be.

What's good

  • Excellent performance
  • Long range and ease of charging
  • Loads of luggage space

What’s not so good

  • Not very comfortable for a family SUV
  • Poor rear visibility
  • No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto

Sell your car for what it's really worth

The free, easy way to get 5,500+ dealers all over the UK bidding on your car

Volkswagen Taigo

3. Volkswagen Taigo

Black Friday deal
7/10
Volkswagen Taigo review

What's good

  • Well-equipped throughout the range
  • Comfortable and easy to drive
  • Feels compact on the road

What’s not so good

  • Not particularly stylish
  • Annoying climate control system
  • Auto gearbox is a bit jerky
Proof you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a super-safe SUV, Volkswagen's Taigo, effectively a four-door coupe version of the little T-Cross, got a 94% adult occupant rating when assessed by Euro NCAP, together with an 84% child occupant score.

And while the respective 71% and 70% pedestrian and safety-assist marks were some way off the Model Y's ratings in those areas, they're still pretty respectable, and didn't prevent the Taigo getting the full five-star award.

What's good

  • Well-equipped throughout the range
  • Comfortable and easy to drive
  • Feels compact on the road

What’s not so good

  • Not particularly stylish
  • Annoying climate control system
  • Auto gearbox is a bit jerky
Mercedes-Benz GLC

4. Mercedes GLC

7/10
Mercedes-Benz GLC review

What's good

  • PHEV version makes a lot of sense
  • Excellent cruiser
  • Practical throughout

What’s not so good

  • Interior quality disappointing in places
  • Not an affordable option
  • Alternatives more fun to drive
A plush, premium SUV, the Mercedes GLC competes with models such as the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5. It majors on interior comfort and luxury, with an opulent cabin and refined driving experience. It's also an impressively safe car, getting the full five-star award from Euro NCAP thanks to a 92% adult and 90% child occupant ratings, plus 74% and 84% pedestrian and safety-tech scores.

What's good

  • PHEV version makes a lot of sense
  • Excellent cruiser
  • Practical throughout

What’s not so good

  • Interior quality disappointing in places
  • Not an affordable option
  • Alternatives more fun to drive
Lexus NX Hybrid

5. Lexus NX

Black Friday deal
7/10
Lexus NX Hybrid review

What's good

  • Electric motors give plenty of punch
  • Aggressive, sporty looks
  • Lots of hi-tech features

What’s not so good

  • Noisy under acceleration
  • No wireless Android connectivity
  • Poor towing capacity
Lexus is known for being a brand you can rely on, so it’s no surprise to see its NX SUV score highly here. This dashing SUV racked up 137.4 points during safety testing, thanks in no small part to respective scores of 91%, 87%, 83% and 91% for adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection and safety assist systems.

Comfortable, stylish and with decent performance, the NX is a left-field rival to models like the Audi Q5 and Porsche Macan, offered either as a plug-in or self-charging hybrid.

What's good

  • Electric motors give plenty of punch
  • Aggressive, sporty looks
  • Lots of hi-tech features

What’s not so good

  • Noisy under acceleration
  • No wireless Android connectivity
  • Poor towing capacity
Genesis GV60

6. Genesis GV60

8/10
Genesis GV60 review
Battery range up to 321 miles

What's good

  • Impressive quality on the inside
  • Huge performance of top-spec car
  • Warranty and customer experience

What’s not so good

  • Not comfortable enough around town
  • Infotainment system could be easier to use on the move
  • Boot isn’t as big as other EV alternatives
Just as Lexus is the luxury arm of Toyota, so too is Genesis a plush brand from the car making giant that is Hyundai. The GV60 is an all-electric SUV that is mechanically related to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 6, offering a more premium cabin, together with a battery range of up to 321 miles.

Also impressive the GV60's NCAP rating, as within its five stars sit an 89% adult rating, an 87% child one, plus an 88% safety-assist score. A middling 63% mark for the protection the GV60 provides for pedestrians isn't quite as good, though.

What's good

  • Impressive quality on the inside
  • Huge performance of top-spec car
  • Warranty and customer experience

What’s not so good

  • Not comfortable enough around town
  • Infotainment system could be easier to use on the move
  • Boot isn’t as big as other EV alternatives
Lexus RX

7. Lexus RX

Black Friday deal
7/10
Lexus RX review

What's good

  • Excellent materials used throughout
  • High level of equipment
  • Really nice to drive

What’s not so good

  • Poor boot space
  • Infotainment menus aren't easy to use
  • Overly sensitive brakes
The Lexus RX has been around since 1998 and, now in its fifth iteration, provides a compelling alternative to established premium SUVs like the BMW X5. The RX majors on refinement, quality materials and reliability (a Lexus hallmark) and, while it's not as rewarding to drive on a twisty road as some rivals, its overall ambience of unruffled luxury is compelling nonetheless.

NCAP likes the RX as well, giving it five stars, together with consistently strong 90%, 87%, 89% and 91% scores in the adult, child, pedestrian and safety-tech categories, respectively.

What's good

  • Excellent materials used throughout
  • High level of equipment
  • Really nice to drive

What’s not so good

  • Poor boot space
  • Infotainment menus aren't easy to use
  • Overly sensitive brakes
Toyota bZ4X

8. Toyota bZ4X

Black Friday deal
8/10
Toyota bZ4X review
Battery range up to 318 miles

What's good

  • Loads of kit as standard
  • Very easy to drive
  • Comfy on bumpy roads

What’s not so good

  • Fiddly driver display controls
  • Small boot
  • Awkward interior storage spaces
The electric Toyota bZ4X comes with an 88% rating for adult occupant protection, and 87% for child occupants. Vulnerable road user protection comes in at 79%, while its safety assist systems were scored at 91%. Impressive scores, and the bZ4x (unusual name aside) is easy and relaxing to drive, and has a comfortable suspension setup, as well as plenty of standard equipment.

What's good

  • Loads of kit as standard
  • Very easy to drive
  • Comfy on bumpy roads

What’s not so good

  • Fiddly driver display controls
  • Small boot
  • Awkward interior storage spaces
Nissan Qashqai
2024
Family Values Award
Highly Commended

9. Nissan Qashqai

Black Friday deal
8/10
Nissan Qashqai review

What's good

  • Practical, solid interior
  • Lots of standard kit
  • Comfortable at a cruise

What’s not so good

  • Not much fun to drive
  • Boot space is a bit limited
  • Not as efficient as some hybrids
The Nissan Qashqai was named best in class by Euro NCAP for its safety score in 2021, with respective scores of 91%, 91%, 70% and 95% for adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection and safety assist systems respectively. In addition, the UK-built Qashqai continues to be one of the best-selling cars on the market, with its blend of comfort, refinement, quality and practicality all coming in at a reasonable price.

What's good

  • Practical, solid interior
  • Lots of standard kit
  • Comfortable at a cruise

What’s not so good

  • Not much fun to drive
  • Boot space is a bit limited
  • Not as efficient as some hybrids
BMW X1

10. BMW X1

Black Friday deal
8/10
BMW X1 review

What's good

  • High-quality finish and materials
  • Good space throughout
  • Good to drive everywhere

What’s not so good

  • Infotainment too reliant on touchscreen rather than buttons
  • Pricey for a family SUV
  • Folding rear seats down can be a faff
BMW’s refreshed X1 scored very respectable marks when it was safety tested by Euro NCAP. Adult occupant protection came in at 86%, while child occupant protection was rated at 89%. Its vulnerable road user protection capabilities were rated at 76%, and its safety assist systems received a score of 92%. Previous generations of X1 have been slightly awkwardly styled, but the current car is a handsome thing, with excellent interior qualty and a genuinely rewarding driving experience.

What's good

  • High-quality finish and materials
  • Good space throughout
  • Good to drive everywhere

What’s not so good

  • Infotainment too reliant on touchscreen rather than buttons
  • Pricey for a family SUV
  • Folding rear seats down can be a faff
Volvo C40 Recharge

11. Volvo C40

8/10
Volvo C40 Recharge review
Battery range up to 341 miles
It's hardly surprising to see a Volvo on our list, as the Swedish maker has long made safety one of its key selling points; this was the firm, don't forget, that invented the three-point seatbelt in 1959 and deliberately didn't patent the invetion so others could make use of it.

History lesson over, the C40 got a 92% adult score from NCAP, plus an 89% child-occupant mark, a 70% grade for the protection afforded to pedestrians, and a strong 89% mark for its safety-assist technology. On top of all that, the C40 is also an impressive EV in general, with neat styling, the plush, refined interior we've come to expect from modern Volvos, as well as seriously swift 408hp twin electric motor setup and a range of up to 273 miles. The only real downside is that rear visibility is pretty compromised thanks to the small rear window.
Volkswagen ID.4

12. Volkswagen ID.4

Black Friday deal
7/10
Volkswagen ID.4 review
Battery range up to 350 miles

What's good

  • Modern-looking interior
  • Spacious in the back
  • Comfortable to drive

What’s not so good

  • Boot has annoyingly high lip
  • Top versions quite expensive
  • Some tech seems glitchy
The Volkswagen ID.4 might not be the most attractive electric SUVs on sale, but with a strong Euro NCAP rating, it’s one of the safest. Adult occupant protection was rated at 93%, while child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection and safety assist systems scored 89%, 76% and 85% respectively.

Spacious, comfortable and pleasant to drive, the ID.4's infotainment system could be better, but it's a well-rounded nevertheless.

What's good

  • Modern-looking interior
  • Spacious in the back
  • Comfortable to drive

What’s not so good

  • Boot has annoyingly high lip
  • Top versions quite expensive
  • Some tech seems glitchy
Nissan X-Trail
2024
Adventurer's Choice Award
Highly Commended

13. Nissan X-Trail

Black Friday deal
8/10
Nissan X-Trail review

What's good

  • Quiet engine in town and on motorway
  • Plenty of quality features
  • Spacious enough for five adults

What’s not so good

  • Petrol engine sounds unpleasant under harder acceleration
  • Less boot space than alternatives
  • Third-row seats are quite cramped
The Nissan X-Trail scored 91% of available points for adult occupant protection, and 90% for child occupants. Its 70% score for vulnerable road user protection is a bit low in this company, but a safety assist system rating of 95% is excellent.

Away from safety, the X-Trail is a seven-seat SUV with strong levels of equipment, while it's also a quiet, refined performer both in town, and on the motorway. The optional third row of seating is really only for children, but they're useful to have nonetheless.

What's good

  • Quiet engine in town and on motorway
  • Plenty of quality features
  • Spacious enough for five adults

What’s not so good

  • Petrol engine sounds unpleasant under harder acceleration
  • Less boot space than alternatives
  • Third-row seats are quite cramped
Mazda CX-60

14. Mazda CX-60

Black Friday deal
6/10
Mazda CX-60 review

What's good

  • Plenty of kit as standard
  • High-end finish
  • Good to drive

What’s not so good

  • Expensive starting price
  • Rear seats aren’t that spacious
  • Electric range isn’t the best
With scores of 88% for adult occupant protection, 91% for child occupant protection, 89% for vulnerable road user protection and 76% for safety assist systems, the Mazda CX-60 is an impressively safe electric SUV. Out of a possible 157 Euro NCAP points, it tallied 139.2 - which is a pretty heroic effort.

We like the CX-60's high levels of standard equipment, plus its interior quality and the overall cabin design, though it is a little pricey given it's up against rivals like the BMW X3.

What's good

  • Plenty of kit as standard
  • High-end finish
  • Good to drive

What’s not so good

  • Expensive starting price
  • Rear seats aren’t that spacious
  • Electric range isn’t the best
Volkswagen ID.5

14. Volkswagen ID.5

Black Friday deal
6/10
Volkswagen ID.5 review
Battery range up to 344 miles

What's good

  • Swoopy coupe looks
  • Plenty of interior storage
  • Very smooth acceleration

What’s not so good

  • Rear headroom takes a hit
  • Cheap-feeling interior in places
  • Rear visibility is poor
The Volkswagen ID.5 is effectively just a sportier-looking version of the ID.4 that isn’t quite as practical, thanks to a sloping roofline that eats into rear head room. Because they’re effectively the same car underneath the skin, it scored the exact same points as its slightly less attractive looking sibling. Limited view out the back is a slight bugbear given this, but if you can look past this (pun intended), it's an appealing and stylish VW EV.

What's good

  • Swoopy coupe looks
  • Plenty of interior storage
  • Very smooth acceleration

What’s not so good

  • Rear headroom takes a hit
  • Cheap-feeling interior in places
  • Rear visibility is poor
BYD Atto 3

15. BYD Atto 3

7/10
BYD Atto 3 review
Battery range up to 261 miles

What's good

  • Nicely built interior
  • Comfortable to drive
  • Practical for people in the front

What’s not so good

  • Some infotainment kinks to iron out
  • Lack of headroom in the back
  • Boot is on the small side
The Atto 3 is the first BYD model to come to the UK, and it offers comfort, lots of space in the front, and a well-made interior. It’s also very safe indeed, earning a five-star rating from Euro NCAP at BYD’s first attempt. It scores well across the board, with ratings of 91%, 89%, 69% and 74% for adult occupant, child occupant, pedestrian protection and safety assistance systems respectively. This small electric SUV is well worth a look if safety is a high priority, although the boot could be bigger and it’s not much fun to drive.

What's good

  • Nicely built interior
  • Comfortable to drive
  • Practical for people in the front

What’s not so good

  • Some infotainment kinks to iron out
  • Lack of headroom in the back
  • Boot is on the small side

Browse all SUVs

  •  

     
  •  

     
  •  

     

Advice about safe SUVs

Safest SUVs FAQs

Euro NCAP (that stands for New Car Assessment Programme) is an organisation that was established to provide independent safety ratings for new cars that go on sale in Europe. Manufacturers don’t have to put their cars through NCAP’s rigorous testing procedure by law, but given the fact that practically every new mainstream car that goes on sale is tested (and that buyers really care about that all-important star rating), it’d look a bit odd if the decision was made not to test a new car.

Anyway, Euro NCAP’s tests are broken down to assess four different areas of a car’s overall safety rating. These are: adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, pedestrian or vulnerable road user protection, and safety assistance systems.

The adult occupant protection score (that’s for the driver and any adult passengers) is determined by subjecting a car to frontal and lateral impact tests, as well as whiplash tests, to see just how well the car will cocoon them in such incidents. Any measures in place that help to facilitate quick rescue and removal from the vehicle are also taken into account here.

A car’s child occupant protection rating takes three things into account: the level of protection offered by the child restraint systems in front- and side-on impacts; the car’s ability to fit in a wide range of child restraint systems of different shapes and sizes; and whether or not there are sufficient provisions in place that allow for the safe transport of children. These include things like ISOFIX points, and a front-seat passenger airbag disabling system that’s clearly labelled and easy to use.

Vulnerable road user safety tests look at how well a car will protect pedestrians in the off chance that the two collide. Impact tests are carried out on the head, upper leg, and lower legs of a special crash test dummy to assess the risk of injury. A car’s automatic emergency braking systems are also taken into account, with cars being awarded bonus points if these systems can detect pedestrians and cyclists.

Finally, the safety assist score is worked out by looking at whether or not a car is equipped with what Euro NCAP calls “the most important driver assist technologies that support safe driving to avoid and mitigate accidents”. Systems such as lane-keep assist, speed assistance, autonomous emergency braking and driver attention monitoring systems are all taken into account here. A car will often have two separate safety ratings if these systems are optional extras too, with the highest score always being awarded to the car that gets them as standard.

If you’re going off Euro NCAP’s numbers, multiple SUVs could be described as having the best rating for child safety. The Mazda CX-60, Nissan Qashqai, Subaru Forester and Mercedes EQB all score 91%, making them the family SUVs with the highest ratings for child safety. It would appear that no new car has scored higher than this just yet, though of course that could well change in future.

It wouldn’t quite be accurate to say that SUVs come with safety features that aren’t available on other types of car. Some SUVs have more seats than your average family hatchback, which means they may well have additional ISOFIX child seat anchor points, but that’s about it. Otherwise, the roster of technologies that you’ll be looking at are largely the same across the board. 

Adaptive cruise control that can automatically match the speed of the car in front of you to maintain a safe distance on the motorway, driver attention monitoring that can detect if you’re dozing off at the wheel and autonomous emergency braking that will haul the car to a stop if it thinks you’re going to hit the car in front of you are just a small handful of the systems currently available. There are also things like 360-degree parking cameras, lane-keep assist, speed limit detection systems and, in some cases, night vision cameras available either as standard or on the options lists.

There’s no really clear answer on this front. On the face of it, the sheer size of an SUV will arguably play to its favour if it were involved in a crash with a smaller car, but that size can also play against an SUV were it to be involved in a collision with a pedestrian (or another similarly-sized SUV). Owing to their higher centre of gravity, the chance of a rollover occurring will be higher in an SUV than a hatchback or saloon too, and of course an SUV moving at speed will generate greater momentum owing to its weight than a smaller car would. You might be able to argue that a higher driving position and greater visibility might help to slightly reduce the chance of an accident occurring in the first place, though.

Cars have become safer and safer with the passing of each year, but if you look back to 2018 you'll find the Jeep Wrangler sitting with a rare one-star Euro NCAP score. Its adult occupant and child occupant ratings of 50% and 69% respectively weren't strong but arguably weren't too disastrous, but the 32% mark it gained for its safety assist tech was certainly off the pace.