Safety is a key factor that drives car-buying decisions. Auto makers have historically relied on structural and materials engineering to help minimize the chances of injury or fatality in the case of a collision, but this is now also being complemented by active technology that mitigates human error and works to prevent a collision before it occurs.
The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), one of the most well-known and well-regarded authorities on the subject of vehicle safety, presents its Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards to vehicles it deems as leaders in safety. A vehicle must attain good ratings on five crashworthiness tests, as well as an advanced or superior rating for frontal crash prevention technology such as a forward collision warning or autonomous braking, to earn a Top Safety Pick award.
A vehicle can also be upgraded to a Top Safety Pick+ if its headlights meet IIHS's standards for illumination. This year, the IIHS awarded 103 vehicles in total, with 58 receiving the Top Safety Pick+ award. The 2017 of winners can be found on the IIHS website.
We've featured some of our favourite offers this week on vehicles awarded the Top Safety Pick+ award. If you don't find an offer that suits you, be sure to check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest incentives and discounts on any new car, truck or SUV.
2017 BMW 330i xDrive
2017 BMW 3 Series.
BMW
The 2017 BMW 330i features a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that achieves an output of 248 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Its interior features leather seats with heated front seats, navigation with an 8.8-inch display and automatic climate control. Also available is a 600-watt, 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system.
This sedan combines performance, luxury and safety with standard features such as dynamic cruise control, LED headlights and fog lights, rain sensors that automatically adjust wiper speed depending on the amount of rainfall, and run-flat tires. Additional available safety features include a rear-view camera, blind-spot detection, Surround View, which provides a bird's-eye view of the vehicle, a heads-up display that projects important vehicle information directly in the driver's field of vision and park distance control, which employs ultrasonic sensors to warn the driver of nearby obstacles.
- MSRP: $48,350
- Manufacturer cash incentive: $3,000
- Estimated dealer discount: $1,000
- Freight, PDI, government fees: $2,980
- Cash purchase price before tax: $47,330
- Finance for 60 months at 0.9 per cent interest for $912, which includes a $3,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment.
- Lease for 48 months at 0.9 per cent interest for $609 per month including tax, which includes a $3,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance and zero down payment.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring-L
2017 Chrysler Pacifica.
FCA US
The 2017 Pacifica is equipped with a 3.6-litre Pentastar V-6 engine that delivers 287 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque and can seat up to eight passengers. The interior of the Touring-L trim includes a five-inch touchscreen Uconnect infotainment system with a rear backup camera, a 3.5-inch vehicle information centre located in the instrument panel, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with mounted audio and cruise controls and leather-faced seating with heated front seats.
Available safety features include Surround View, which provides a 360-degree bird's-eye perspective of the vehicle while parking, reversing and other low-speed driving situations, rear-parking and parallel-parking assist systems, forward collision warning with active braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist. Another available safety feature is the KeySense key-fob that can be programmed to place limits on vehicle speed, add parental control on SiriusXM channels and prevent active safety features from being disabled – useful for parents who share their vehicle with their children.
- MSRP: $43,995
- Manufacturer cash incentive: $1,500 (applied after tax)
- Estimated dealer discount: $750
- Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,935
- Cash purchase price before tax: $43,853
- Finance for 84 months at zero per cent interest for $590, which includes a $1,500 manufacturer incentive (applied after tax) and assumes zero down payment.
- Lease for 48 months at 3.99 per cent interest for $784 per month including tax, which includes a $1,500 manufacturer incentive (applied after tax) and assumes a 24,000 annual kilometre allowance and zero down payment.
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe XL Limited All-Wheel Drive
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe XL.
Hyundai
The Hyundai Santa Fe received a facelift in the 2017 model year with restyled headlights and taillights. Equipped with a 3.3-litre V-6 engine and all-wheel drive on higher trim levels, the Santa Fe XL delivers 290 horsepower and 252 lb.-ft. of torque. Standard on the Ultimate trim are a 12-speaker audio system, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation and rear-view camera, a 4.2-inch multi-information display in the instrument panel, adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control and a panoramic sunroof.
Safety features on this trim include autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and lane change assist, a multi-view camera system, blind spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors to assist with backing into parking spots, electronic stability and traction control systems for improved vehicle performance in inclement weather, HID headlights with adaptive cornering and LED taillights for increased vehicle visibility.
- MSRP: $48,099
- Manufacturer cash incentive: $750
- Estimated dealer discount: $1,000
- Freight, PDI, government fees: $2,045
- Cash purchase price before tax: $48,394
- Finance for 84 months at zero per cent interest for $651 which includes a $750 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment
- Lease for 48 months at 3.99 per cent interest for $924 per month including tax and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance and zero down payment
2017 Toyota Corolla SE CVT
2017 Toyota Corolla.
Toyota
The Corolla is not only one of the safest cars in Canada, it is also one of the best-selling vehicles of all-time with more than 43 million units sold since it launched in 1966. The 11 th generation Corolla is powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine that outputs 132 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque. Standard features include a 6.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with voice recognition and a six-speaker audio system. The SE trim also features a 4.2-inch multi-information display located in the instrument panel, a backup camera and multi-LED headlamps.
All trim levels are equipped with Toyota's Safety Sense system, which includes a precollision avoidance system, automatic high beams, lane-departure alert with steering assist and dynamic radar cruise control.
- MSRP: $21,490
- Manufacturer cash incentive: $1,000 (applied after tax)
- Estimated dealer discount: $500
- Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,755
- Cash purchase price before tax: $21,860
- Finance for 60 months at 0.49 per cent interest for $417, which includes a $1,000 manufacturer incentive (applied after tax) and assumes zero down payment.
- Lease for 48 months at zero per cent interest for $292 per month including tax, which includes a $1,000 manufacturer incentive (applied after tax) and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance and zero down payment.
Andrew Tai is CEO of Unhaggle. Follow on Twitter @ahytai
Manufacturer incentives and pricing calculations are based on Ontario customers and subject to availability of inventory. Dealer discounts shown are estimates for illustrative purposes only, may vary by region and are given at the discretion of individual dealers. Please note that while every effort is made to ensure the information above is accurate at the time of publication, pricing, incentives and discounts are subject to change or discontinuation at any time. Vehicle images may not represent the exact model featured in the pricing provided. Consult your local dealership for details.