As we head into 2014, many auto buyers are looking for the best cars, trucks and SUVs to get into this upcoming year. Safety is always a fantastic selling point, so which ones are the safest? Well, the IIHS recently announced that 39 vehicles earned its top safety awards for 2014.

Vehicles that Won The Safety Picks Plus Award

There are a few different vehicle choices to choose from. Based on affordability, I have narrowed it down to the five most affordable. The vehicles below only received the 2014 Top Safety Pick Plus Award for the optional front prevention models. They are the following:

  1. Honda Odyssey – HondaThe Top Safety Pick Plus winner for minivans, this great vehicle features side airbags for all three rows of seats, front seat mounted torso airbags, a rollover sensor, electronic stability control, antilock braking system and daytime running lights. Fuel-efficient and roomy, this minivan starts at around $29,000
  2. Honda Civic 4 Door – The reputation of reliability and safety is strong with this one. Starting at just over $19,000, this small sedan packs great safety features such as front and rear mounted airbags, front seat torso airbags, antilock brakes, daytime running lights and electronic stability control. These features make it a great Safety Pick Plus car to look into.
  3. Ford Fusion – This midsize makes waves as a Safety Pick Plus winner with its great safety features. In addition to front, rear and front-seat mounted airbags, there are also driver and front passenger knee airbags that reduce the risk of knee injuries in the event of a frontal collision. Electronic stability control, antilock brakes and daytime running lights round out this safety workhorse. Fuel-efficient and starting at around $23,000, you might want to consider this one for the family.
  4. Mitsubishi Outlander – Starting at just under $24,000, this small SUV sports some considerable safety features like a rollover sensor that deploys the side curtain airbags if the vehicle rolls over, lane departure warning system, automatic braking and a fantastic all-wheel-drive system that handles very well in snowy conditions. Along with many of the features described in the previous two cars, excellent fuel economy, and seating for seven this SUV may just be the vehicle you are looking for.
  5. Toyota Highlander Toyota – The regular sized SUV comes in equipped with many of the features listed above plus seat cushion airbags in the front passenger area to prevent the passengers from slipping underneath the seat belts. Praised with high levels of customer satisfaction, this beast starts at just under $30,000.

One of These Safe Cars May Just Be Up Your Alley

So if you’re in the market for something new, these are definitely the five to start with. If you think these may be out of your price range, we here at Auto Credit Express may be able to help you with some great leasing deals for a new vehicle or something that is highly comparable to these cars, trucks and SUVs.