Top 5 safest luxury cars for 2022
Luxury cars should be generously equipped and ride buttery smooth—it’s all about creating a relaxing ambiance. But luxury goes beyond tech appointments, massaging seats, and refined driving characteristics. Knowing you’re in a vehicle that has been engineered for safety in any traffic situation is key to a luxury mindset.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have run numerous 2022 luxury cars through their safety tests. With those results, we’ve assembled a list of the safest luxury cars for 2022. The options span categories and price points, but all earn high marks for safety.
We present five of the cars that are rated safest by the two safety rating bodies.
2022 Tesla Model 3
The Model 3 performs admirably in crash safety testing. Like it has every year since 2019, this fun electric car earns a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash score from NHTSA. In front, side, and rear crash tests, the sedan received top marks.
Standard driver-assist and active safety features on every 2022 Model 3 include adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear automatic emergency braking. Make no mistake—the controversially named Tesla Autopilot system isn’t fully autonomous, as the driver must remain attentive and ready to take control of vehicle functions at all times. Tesla also offers what it calls a “Full Self Driving” system. Based on the track record of this perpetually in-development system, we’d advise against dropping the five-figure sum for it on your Model 3.
Tesla’s Twitter-obsessed CEO and work-in-progress build quality concerns keep its vehicles in the crosshairs of auto industry scrutineers. Yet there’s little denying that the Model 3 delivers an excellent driving experience. It succeeds as a luxury car, providing a comfortable ride and abundant tech that make it easy and relaxing to drive. Yet it’s also enjoyably sporty, very quick, and with precise, accurate handling. Refinement is somewhat compromised by outside noises, made more apparent by the absence of an engine. The ultra-minimalist styling approach will appeal to some more than others; in our opinion, the cabin would be more functional if there were physical buttons for basic controls instead of containing everything within the central touchscreen. Even so, the Model 3 remains a top-rated luxury sedan on account of its starting price, performance, and crash safety.
2022 Genesis G70
Updated with new styling and features for 2022, the Genesis G70 looks different than it did the prior year. What hasn’t changed is its IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status. The IIHS gives the G70 its highest Good score in all six crashworthiness tests. NHTSA has not yet tested the model. Genesis includes a generous amount of driver aids as standard: adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Genesis hasn’t rested on its laurels after this sedan won our 2019 Car of the Year competition. As it’s been updated for 2022, the G70 continues to offer distinctive strengths among luxury compact sedans. Besides its safety features and scores, those include its driving manners and enticing price. Genesis is coming into its own as a brand, indicated by the G70’s refreshed styling and hopefully resolved early-build issues like we experienced in our previous long-termer. With the G70 and its other vehicles, Genesis builds excellent alternatives to offerings from other luxury car manufacturers.
2022 Acura TLX
Redesigned last year, the TLX was created with safety in mind as much as sharp styling and agile reflexes. With innovations such as a “catcher’s mitt” airbag for the front passenger as standard equipment, the TLX receives Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA. Other standard safety equipment on this affordable luxury car includes the AcuraWatch suite of driver-assist and active safety tech, which bundles front automatic emergency braking, road sign detection, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control, among other features.
Acura worked to make the TLX driving experience as sharp as the car’s exterior styling. Although the chassis setup gives this American-made luxury car a good steering feel and handling, other dynamic aspects are disappointing. Whether with the standard 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 or Type S model’s 3.0-liter V-6, the 10-speed automatic transmission’s gearing and responsiveness don’t make the most of the power on tap. Composure evaporates when it’s pushed hard, which is particularly disappointing with the sporty TLX Type S. Indeed, most TLX drivers won’t choose it to push hard—they’ll buy it for daily-driving factors like style, tech, and safety. And like most other Acura models, the TLX is a strong value among compact luxury sedans. But its snug back seat and unimpressive fuel economy detract from its everyday appeal.
2022 Volvo S60
Volvo values safety as much as any other attribute. That’s indicated by its entry-level sedan, the S60, which earns a Top Safety Pick+ award and five-star overall safety scores for the second year running. Although the S60 got the top Good score in all of the IIHS’ test criteria, it only received a four-star score in NHTSA’s frontal crash test. Note that the related V60 Cross Country station wagon got identical accolades. Individual results for the S60 T8 plug-in hybrid model are not available.
As standard, the S60 includes forward collision warning, front and rear automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keep assist, plus automatic high-beams and windshield wipers. However, Volvo’s Pilot Assist system, which bundles adaptive cruise control and advanced steering assistance, remains an optional extra.
Safety may be a top priority at Volvo, but style isn’t far behind. The S60 looks excellent inside and out: modern, graceful, and understated. This sedan makes a comfortable everyday cruiser thanks to its plush suspension, ergonomic seats, and upscale interior trimmings. Although the hybridized powertrains newly added for 2022 deliver sufficient acceleration, the S60 remains tuned for luxury more so than speed. We quite enjoyed the S60 over its stay in our long-term review fleet.
For all of this Volvo’s appeals, we’d probably spend instead on the V60 Cross Country, which offers those strengths along with significantly more cargo space. In any form, the S60 represents a pretty solid value among luxury cars, but making adaptive cruise control standard across the range would further improve its competitive position.
2022 Lexus IS:
Perhaps the Lexus IS’ great safety scores are to be expected—the model on sale now rides on the same platform that has been in production since 2013. So it’s not exactly cutting-edge, but in the context of safety, the underpinnings are proven. Again, this little Lexus gets the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ award, which comprises a Good score in all six crashworthiness tests and, confusingly, standard LED headlights that perform better than the triple-beam LED upgrade units.
Unlike in 2021, the 2022 car has now been fully evaluated by NHTSA and earns a five-star overall safety score across the range. That factors in five-star side crash and rollover scores with a four-star frontal crash score. Like most other 2022 Lexus models, the IS includes the Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 suite with adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, front automatic braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection, road sign detection, and automatic high-beams. Ten airbags are standard.
Lexus did well in disguising the old Lexus IS hiding within the new Lexus IS. Underneath the sharp, modernized duds, there’s a fair amount of hardware enhancement on the nearly decade-old platform. That gives the car a great balance between luxury and sportiness, but the lackluster engine choices persist into this enhanced model; even the roaring V-8-powered IS500 leaves something to be desired. It’s the interior that most evinces the IS’ true age. Attractive and high-quality as it is, vestiges like the cramped back seat and illogical user interfaces remain. Price, safety, and proven reliability aside, 2022 IS can’t quite earn our recommendation among small luxury sedans.
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