Best Safety Value: $26,450 (LX)
Base Price: $26,450 | Expert Rating: 4.6
Combined Fuel Economy: 28 mpg
Built on a smaller version of the CR-V platform, the HR-V provides plenty of interior space and delivers a smooth ride. You might not expect an SUV at this price point to provide an abundance of our recommended safety features and tech. However, the base HR-V LX delivers several of them. They include on/off LED headlights, high-beam assist, and hill start assist. Among the safety technologies are lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, and traffic sign recognition. Nine airbags are located around the cabin.
You must step up to the Sport grade to gain blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and heated outboard mirrors with integrated turn signals. Although we think those features are important, we wouldn’t spend the extra two grand for them. Consequently, we recommend going with the HR-V LX. The HR-V is a 2024 TSP+. As with the CR-V, the IIHS hasn’t yet rated the 2025 HR-V, but we anticipate it will perform just as well in testing as there are no significant changes for 2025. If you would prefer to shop for the 2024 HR-V, pricing starts at $25,950 for the recommended LX.
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2025 Honda Pilot
Best Safety Value: $41,295 (Sport)
Base Price: $41,295 | Expert Rating: 4.7
Combined Fuel Economy: 22 mpg
The Honda Pilot dropped the base LX trim for 2025, leaving the Sport as the entry-level grade. We think this SUV’s rugged exterior styling surrounds the most family-friendly Pilot yet. The IIHS awarded the Pilot a spot on its TSP+ list. Its cabin is roomy and includes a handy feature that allows you to choose between 7- and 8-passenger seating on the fly. It also comes standard with an impressive roster of helpful features.
Nicely equipped, the Pilot Sport comes standard with the Honda Sensing suite of safety features, as well as high-beam assist, hill descent control, and hill start assist. Honda Sensing includes lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, traffic-jam assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and traffic sign recognition. It has eight airbags, including an innovative 3-chamber front-side airbag. You can add front/rear parking sensors by moving up to the EX-L, but we don’t think that’s a solid reason to fork out another three grand.
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2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5
Best Safety Value: $43,195 (SE Standard Range)
Base Price: $43,195 | Expert Rating: 4.7
Combined Fuel Economy: 110 MPGe
Our Kelley Blue Book Best Buy among electric vehicles, the Ioniq 5, has an estimated maximum range of 303 miles. We particularly appreciate its roomy cabin crammed with cutting-edge technology. We also like it because it provides many of our recommended safety features, such as LED headlights, high-beam assist, eight airbags, heated outboard mirrors with integrated turn signals, and hill-start assist. Not yet rated by NHTSA, the Ioniq 5 did make the IIHS TSP+ list.
Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear park assist, lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist, driver monitoring system, safe-exit assist, and adaptive cruise control are standard across all Ioniq 5 grades. You also get Hyundai’s semi-autonomous Highway Driving Assist, which can brake, steer, and accelerate the vehicle under certain conditions. Increasing the bottom line by $5,600 for the SEL adds an auto-dimming rearview mirror, front park assist, and Hyundai’s semi-autonomous Highway Driving Assist 2, which includes lane change assist. Save your money and stay with the SE Standard Range.
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2024 Hyundai Kona
Best Safety Value: $25,625 (SE)
Base Price: $25,625 | Expert Rating: 4.8
Combined Fuel Economy: 31 mpg
This Hyundai Kona is in its second generation, which the IIHS likes enough to rate as a TSP+; however, NHTSA has yet to test it. The Kona’s mission is to provide relatively affordable, user-friendly urban transportation to the masses. It does so not only with style but also with safety. Although the base SE isn’t lavishly appointed, it has the basics. It employs our suggested safety features LED headlights, high-beam assist, and hill start assist. Blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, a driver monitoring system, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit assist, and traffic sign recognition represent its more advanced safety tech.
Moving up to the SEL doesn’t increase the advanced safety features. Still, it does open the door to the Convenience Package ($2,200) with junction-turning assist, adaptive cruise control, and Highway Driving Assist, which allows the vehicle to accelerate, brake, and steer itself under certain conditions. Sadly, the SEL and Convenience Package adds $3,550 to the bottom line. If our decision were based on the safety features alone, we’d stick with the SE.
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