When you’re looking for a car, safety is one of the most important considerations.
Using data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of the most dangerous cars in America that may still be on the road.
Read more: Top 7 cars that owners regret buying
New ranking: These are the most dangerous cars
These vehicles all received “poor” or “marginal” ratings on safety tests.
‘The safest cars tend to be the largest,’ according to the 24/7 Wall St. report. ‘Smaller, lighter cars carry a greater risk of injury, as occupants will experience greater force in a collision.’
While most of these cars are about a decade old, 24/7 Wall St. points out that cars built today, including models on this list, usually meet high safety standards.
Here are the 7 most dangerous cars in America:
7. 2000-2006 MPV
- Make: Mazda
- Poor ratings: Side, head restraint & seats
- Model discontinued: Yes
- Type: Minivan
6. 2006-2009 Rio
- Make: Kia
- Poor ratings: Side, head restraint & seats
- Model discontinued: No
- Type: Sedan
5. 2001-2005 Optima
- Make: Kia
- Poor ratings: Side, head restraints & seats
- Model discontinued: No
- Type: Sedan
4. 2006-2011 Accent
- Make: Hyundai
- Poor ratings: Side, head restraint & seats
- Model discontinued: No
- Type: Sedan
3. 2001-2006 Sierra 1500
- Make: GMC
- Poor ratings: Head restraint & seats
- Model discontinued: No
- Type: Extended cab pickup
2. 1996-2005 Safari
- Make: GMC
- Poor ratings: Moderate overlap front, head restraints & seats
- Model discontinued: Yes
- Type: Minivan
1. 2000-2005 Neon
- Make: Dodge
- Poor ratings: Side, head restraints & seats
- Model discontinued: Yes
- Type: Sedan
If you’re in the market for a new or used car, you can read more about safety by searching the make, model and year on IIHS’s website. The vehicles that perform best in crash tests will be labeled “Top Safety Picks.”
In addition, check out Consumer Reports’ annual list of the most and least reliable car brands.
