Purchasing a new car can be difficult, especially since there are so many recalls and complaints made each day to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Before purchasing a new vehicle, make sure you steer clear of these five cars from 2015 that are considered the most dangerous vehicles of the year.
Mazda 5
The safety ratings of the Mazda 5 show how dangerous this vehicle truly is. If you have an accident with stationary objects that are moderately small, there is a high chance that you'll sustain life-threatening injuries, and the side test crash rating isn’t much better. This Mazda has an older style and has remained relatively unchanged since 2010. With that being said, Mazda has now decided to discontinue this vehicle after this 2015 model.
Mitsubishi Mirage
This tiny little car was incredibly popular upon its release to the general public, but soon after the release, it became rated as one of the most dangerous cars on the road. It’s easy to think that the danger comes from its small size, but competitors have produced micro cars that are much safer. The 2015 version didn’t do better than the 2014 version with crash test rates, especially when it comes to the “small overlap front” accident. This means if you hit a moderately small object head-on, you’ll sustain significant injuries. You can watch the video of the crash test on IIHS.
Audi A4
Being a luxury car, you would expect the Audi A4 to be superior in every way. Unfortunately, the crash test ratings say otherwise. This is another vehicle that causes injuries with the small overlap front crash test, especially to the hip and thigh. This car does have decent crash test prevention, but that only assists you during a head-on collision. The biggest issue is that Audi chose not to fix these problems with the 2016 model as it received the same ratings. If you have your heart set on an Audi, consider the A3, which received the IIHS top safety pick of the year.
Nissan Versa
In 2011, Nissan Versa was one of the most dangerous models on the road with hundreds of accident-related deaths. After this publication from the IIHS, you’d think that Nissan would attempt to improve its ratings. Nissan did enhance its side crash test ratings and roof strength, but the small overlap front accident rating has remained deadly. It would be best to avoid Nissan Versas until they make significant safety improvements.
Hyundai Accent
The Hyundai Accent is another vehicle that made the list for IIHS as one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road. With over one hundred vehicle-related deaths in the 2011 model, you’d hope that the Hyundai Accent would have improved in recent years. While roof strength and moderate front overlap improved from an acceptable to a good score, other sections remained unimproved for the 2015 version. Namely, small front overlap has a poor rating. Additionally, this issue shows no improvement in the 2016 model. Another problem is the side impact accident, which can cause injuries to the torso, pelvis, and legs.
