The best deals on vehicles tagged as top safety picks

According to Statistics Canada, between 1999 and 2018, total vehicular injuries dropped 30 per cent, while fatalities decreased by more than 35 per cent. This comes as no surprise as safety has been a major focus for automakers, especially in recent years with pioneering work in autonomous and semi-autonomous driving technology.

Initially implemented as premium features by luxury automakers, active safety technology – such as adaptive cruise control, pre-collision systems, auto high-beam assist and lane-keep assist – helps prevent collisions from occurring and has now trickled down to virtually every class of vehicle. Passive safety features, which lower the chances and severity of injury in case of collision, also continue to play an important role in keeping occupants safe.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), one of the most prominent voices on vehicle safety, administers tests that evaluate two aspects of safety: “crashworthiness” (how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash) and crash avoidance and mitigation (technology that can prevent a crash or lessen its severity).

Vehicles that meet or surpass the IIHS benchmarks for safety are awarded the Top Safety Pick title, while those that surpass all benchmarks are named Top Safety Pick+, an honour that has been bestowed on 46 model-year-2020 vehicles so far. A complete list of award-winners and details of testing criteria can be found on the IIHS website.

We’ve featured some of our favourite offers this week on winners of the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. If you don’t find an offer that suits you, be sure to check out the Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest incentives and discounts on any new car, truck or SUV.

2020 Genesis G70

Genesis is the world’s first automaker to offer the complete end-to-end car-buying experience entirely online. Through its Genesis at Home platform, customers can go from booking the initial test drive to completing the final paperwork and finally having the vehicle delivered to their doorstep.

The 2020 Genesis G70 boasts a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine that produces 252-horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque, or a twin-turbocharged 3.3-litre, twin-turbo V-6 engine that generates 365-horsepower and 376 lb.-ft. of torque. Most trims also include an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The Elite 2.0T trim’s standard equipment includes an eight-inch infotainment screen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, a seven-inch in-cluster display and a 15-speaker Lexicon premium surround-sound audio system. This trim’s standard safety features include forward collision-avoidance with pedestrian-detection, blind-spot collision warning and driver-attention warning.

2020 Genesis G70 2.0T Elite All Wheel Drive

• Vehicle price: $47,000 (all-inclusive)
• Government fees: $131
• Cash purchase price before tax: $47,131
• Finance for 84 months at 0.9-per-cent interest for $644 per month including tax and requires a $1,000 down payment.
• Lease for 48 months at 1.9-per-cent interest for $581 per month including tax, which assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance and requires a $1,000 down payment.
• Includes complimentary scheduled maintenance and courtesy vehicle service for five years or 100,000 kilometres, and complimentary navigation map updates for five years.

Build & Price via Genesis at Home

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe can be equipped with either a 2.4-litre, 185-horsepower engine or a turbocharged 2.0-litre, 235-horsepower engine, both of which are married to an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is also a standard feature on most trims. Interior features on the Preferred 2.4 trim include a seven-inch infotainment display compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a driver-information display located in the instrument cluster, a rear-view camera, dual-zone automatic climate-control as well as heated front seats and steering wheel.

Standard safety features at this trim level include forward, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance, rear parking-distance warning, automatic projector headlights and front fog lights.

2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Preferred 2.4 All Wheel Drive

• MSRP: $35,299
• Manufacturer cash incentive: $2,000
• Estimated dealer discount: $500
• Freight, PDI, government fees: $2,015
• Cash purchase price before tax: $34,814
• Finance for 60 months at 0.99-per-cent interest for $711 per month including tax and assumes zero down payment.
• Lease for 48 months at 1.49-per-cent interest for $501 per month including tax and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment.

Get Local Price on Globe Drive

2020 Kia Forte

The 2020 Kia Forte comes standard with a 2.0-litre engine that outputs 147 horsepower and 132 lb.-ft. of torque, paired to an IVT (infinitely variable transmission). The EX Premium trim comes with an eight-inch multimedia display that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charger, a 4.2-inch in-cluster display and dual-zone automatic climate control. Standard safety features on this trim include advanced forward collision-avoidance, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert and lane-keep assist.

2020 Kia Forte 2.0 EX Premium IVT

• MSRP: $24,295
• Manufacturer cash incentive: $1,000
• Estimated dealer discount: $500
• Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,755
• Cash purchase price before tax: $24,550
• Finance for 60 months at 0.99 per cent interest for $493 per month including tax and assumes zero down payment.
• Lease for 48 months at 1.99 per cent interest for $379 per month including tax and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment.

Get Local Price on Globe Drive

2020 Subaru Forester

The 2020 Subaru Forester comes with a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder Boxer engine that outputs 182 horsepower and 176 lb.-ft. of torque. Highlights on the Touring trim include a 6.5-inch infotainment system with Aha radio compatibility, automatic dual-zone climate control with passenger recognition, dual USB ports in the front and rear as well as LED headlights. Safety features at this trim level include pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist and lead-vehicle-start alert.

2020 Subaru Forester Touring

• MSRP: $33,895
• Manufacturer cash incentive: $500
• Estimated dealer discount: $500
• Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,835
• Cash purchase price before tax: $34,730
• Finance for 60 months at 2.99-per-cent interest for $705 per month including tax, which includes a $500 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment.
• Lease for 48 months at 2.99-per-cent interest for $534 per month including tax, which includes a $500 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment.

Get Local Price on Globe Drive

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.

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