The Safest and Most Affordable Car and Truck Models of 2020

For anyone in the market for a new car, the choice between cost and safety doesn’t have to be a choice at all. Dozens of 2020 trucks, cars and SUVs that are among the most affordable in their class are also some of the best rated in terms of safety.

There are 49 vehicles on this list, and only one of them (barely) breaches the $40,000 mark — in fact, that vehicle has a starting MSRP of $40,000 exactly. Another 15 vehicles are in the $30,000s, but the overwhelming majority of those are priced below $35,000. That leaves 33 vehicles priced below $30,000, 22 of which are in the $20,000s. Another 11 brand new 2020 models are there for the taking for less than $20,000.

None of them, however, skimp on safety.

GOBankingRates used Kelley Blue Book and U.S. News & World Report for inspiration in identifying the safest 2020 models on the road. In order to generate this list, five factors were analyzed for each vehicle: starting MSRP, overall safety ranking, frontal crash safety ranking, side crash safety ranking and rollover safety ranking — all safety ratings were out of five stars.

The team then scored, weighted and ranked the results in ascending order from worst to best, with the best having the top score in terms of both safety and affordability.

If you do choose one of these cars or trucks for yourself, you’ll likely feel good about your purchase for years to come. Many of these vehicles are not only affordable upfront but, in terms of five-year ownership costs and reliability, also rank high as being good cars to own over time.

Last updated: June 18, 2020

49. Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Crew Cab

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 3
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 3
• Starting MSRP: $34,600

48. GMC Sierra 2500 HD Crew Cab

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 3
• Starting MSRP: $40,000

47. Toyota Tundra Crew Cab

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 3
• Starting MSRP: $33,575

46. GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $37,560

45. Ram 2500 Crew Cab

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $33,895

44. Ford F250 Regular Cab

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $33,705

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43. Ford F150 Super Cab

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $32,830

42. Ford F150 Regular Cab

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $28,745

41. Chevrolet Silverado 1500

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $28,500

40. Jeep Grand Cherokee

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $34,000

39. Toyota Tacoma Crew Cab

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $26,050

38. Hyundai Elantra

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 4
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $19,300

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37. Ram 1500 Crew Cab

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $32,145

36. Kia Telluride

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $31,890

35. Ford F150 SuperCrew Cab

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $35,285

34. Honda Ridgeline

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $33,900

33. Nissan Sentra

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $19,090

32. Subaru Ascent

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $31,995

31. Hyundai Palisade

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $31,975

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30. Ford Edge

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $31,100

29. Kia Forte

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $17,890

28. Kia Soul

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $17,490

27. Ford Fusion

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $23,170

26. Volkswagen Passat

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $22,995

25. Subaru Crosstrek

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $22,145

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24. Hyundai Accent

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 4
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $15,295

23. Nissan Maxima

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 5
• Starting MSRP: $34,250

22. Volkswagen Jetta

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $18,895

21. Mazda CX-5

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $25,190

20. Ford Escape

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $24,885

19. Subaru Forester

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $24,495

18. Mazda 6

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $24,100

17. Chevrolet Equinox

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $23,800

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16. Hyundai Tucson

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $23,550

15. Subaru WRX

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 5
• Starting MSRP: $27,495

14. Honda Civic

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 4
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 5
• Starting MSRP: $20,650

13. Mazda CX-3

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $20,390

12. Hyundai Kona

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $20,300

11. Toyota Corolla

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $19,600

10. Toyota Camry

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 5
• Starting MSRP: $24,425

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9. Honda Accord

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 5
• Starting MSRP: $24,020

8. Kia Optima

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 5
• Starting MSRP: $23,390

7. Chevrolet Sonic

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $16,720

6. Honda Insight

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 5
• Starting MSRP: $22,930

5. Honda Fit

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 5
• Starting MSRP: $16,190

4. Subaru Legacy

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 5
• Starting MSRP: $22,745

3. Toyota Yaris

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 4
• Starting MSRP: $15,650

2. Mazda 3

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 5
• Starting MSRP: $21,500

1. Subaru Impreza

• NHTSA overall safety rating: 5
• Overall frontal crash safety rating: 5
• Overall side crash safety rating: 5
• Rollover crash safety rating: 5
• Starting MSRP: $18,695

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Methodology: In order to discover the safest and most affordable car and truck models of 2020, GOBankingRates looked for inspiration from U.S. News & World Report and Kelley Blue Book rankings for safe 2020 models. Once top-ranking models were identified, GOBankingRates found each car’s (1) starting MSRP from individual company websites; (2) overall safety ranking out of five stars; (3) frontal crash safety ranking out of five stars; (4) side crash safety rating out of five stars; and (5) rollover safety ranking out of five stars, all sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Factors No. 2-5 were then combined to give (6) an overall star ranking out of 20. Then, factors No. 1 and 6 were scored and combined with the lowest score being best. In the final calculations, factor No. 1 was weighted 1 1/2 times and factor No. 6 was weighted 2 times. All data was collected on and is up to date as of June 11, 2020.

About the Author

Andrew Lisa

Andrew Lisa has been writing professionally since 2001. An award-winning writer, Andrew was formerly one of the youngest nationally distributed columnists for the largest newspaper syndicate in the country, the Gannett News Service. He worked as the business section editor for amNewYork, the most widely distributed newspaper in Manhattan, and worked as a copy editor for TheStreet.com, a financial publication in the heart of Wall Street’s investment community in New York City.

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