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2025 Subaru Impreza ReviewUsed SUVs with Great Safety Ratings Under $25,000
Safety is always a top priority whether you are looking to purchase a brand-new ride or a well-loved used car. Check out our top picks for the safest SUVs.
Stay Safe on the Road with These SUVs
Let’s face it, folks: it’s a jungle out there! According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 46,000 traffic fatalities in 2021. That number would be larger if not for the many safety features that come standard on many cars today.
Safety is a major concern for manufacturers because they know that safer cars equal better cars. Safety technology has come a long way over the past decade and continues to improve every year. This is a win-win for drivers because they no longer have to shop hard to find a safe vehicle. Chances are, your favorite new or recently used vehicle already comes ready to roll with advanced safety features.
Still, some are safer than others. In particular, the SUV class remains the most competitive thanks to its popularity and the seemingly endless list of models. Let’s take a look at some of the industry’s safest used SUVs that you can pick up for under $25,000.
2021 Subaru Crosstrek
Subaru is known for its safe vehicles, and the Crosstrek is no different. It comes with a load of safety features such as electronic stability control, backup cameras, and ABS. It has multiple airbags including driver front/passenger front, side curtains, and side pelvis/torso airbags. The Subaru Crosstrek also features Subaru’s Eyesight features which act as a second pair of eyes and add features such as pre-collision braking and pedestrian detection. The Crosstrek earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating 6 years in a row (2015-2021).
2020 Kia Telluride
The Kia Telluride is another winner of the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating, and it offers a variety of standard safety features that drivers love. These include ABS, stability control, and airbags in every direction including overhead. New ones are a great value, and a used model can save you even more money. Pick up one that is only a couple of years old for less than $25k with modest mileage.
2019 Toyota Highlander
Not only is the Toyota Highlander popular, but it is also a great pick if safety is your top concern. The Toyota Highlander offers features such as stability control, blind spot monitoring, and lane departure mitigation. You also get parking assistance which helps you safely park without worrying about taking out something behind you. These are surprisingly affordable on the used market with rather modest mileage, and they fit well within our budget.
2023 Hyundai Kona
The Hyundai Kona took home an overall five-star safety rating from the NHTSA in 2021. Drivers get excellent blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and parking sensors up front and in the rear. In addition, drivers get a rearview camera and a driver alertness monitor that senses when you might be getting ready to nod off on a long, late ride. They’re also fun to drive, and they’re pretty cute (if that’s your thing).
2021 Toyota RAV4
Toyota’s incredibly popular RAV4 is a great choice if you’re looking for an SUV with modern safety features. It features standard features such as blind spot monitoring, pre-collision warning, and adaptive cruise control. The RAV4 also gives you a road sign assist feature that reads the road signs to be sure you’re within your posted speed limit at all times. There are also special door beams that help protect you better in the event of a collision. The Toyota RAV4 is an excellent option for families who need a safe, reliable SUV to serve them on their daily excursions.
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee received 4 stars overall from the NHTSA. It can be found with standard features like front, side, knee, and overhead airbags as well as anti-whiplash head restraints that react to rear impacts. The headrests cradle the occupant’s head to help mitigate whiplash. While newer models tend to go above our budget, you can pick up one only slightly older for under $25,000.
2017 Honda Pilot
Honda loads up the Pilot with superb safety tech such as stability assist, a multi-angle rearview camera, and a state-of-the-art ABS system. But there’s more: Honda built the Pilot with their Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure to make it withstand more force during a collision. There are also advanced front airbags and side airbags to aid occupants. It’s a sweet little SUV that is perfect for families who want to be stylish and safe.
2021 Mazda CX-9
Mazda’s SUVs border on luxury, and that includes the myriad of safety features that they offer. The Mazda CX-9 offers features such as Mazda’s Radar Cruise Control System, Advanced Smart City Brake Support, and active lane control. A driver attention monitoring system, stability control, and overhead airbags make the CX-9 one of the safest SUVs on the road. They’re also affordable and fall within our $25k budget.
2022 Mitsubishi Outlander
Just because an SUV is affordable doesn’t mean that they have to be less safe. The Mitsubishi Outlander is a prime example of how affordable new safety technology has become. The Outlander offers features such as rear automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and trailer stability assist for those times when you need to tow a trailer. A hill-start assist helps when taking off on steep grades. You can find these wonderfully affordable SUVs well under the $25,000 threshold.
2022 Subaru Forester
Subaru’s second entry on the list is the Forester. The Forester comes with a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which is no easy feat to accomplish. Drivers get available features like adaptive cruise control, lead vehicle takeoff alert, and automatic emergency braking. Additional features include a lane departure assistance system and a lane-centering system to make sure you stay safely in your lane. You can find them with only a couple of model years’ worth of age on them for less than 25 stacks.
Save on Top Safety Tech
Whether you’re buying a brand-new ride or negotiating the price of a high-quality pre-owned vehicle, safety should always be at the top of your checklist. There are more cars on the road than ever before, and that means that there are more dangers around every corner. Manufacturers have found out that a car can never be “too safe”, and they strive to deliver vehicles that are designed to keep you and those you love as safe as possible.
The best part is that you don’t have to spend a ton of money just to have a safe car these days. The used market is swollen with safe SUV choices, and drivers can become ever more picky about other things – like fuel mileage or cargo space – rather than worry about stockpiling safety features. They’re already there, in most cases.
The most important part of any ride is arriving to your destination safely and securely. Always remember that no matter how many safety features you have, there is no substitute for safe driving practices. Your family – as well as the lives of others – depends on it!
