Today, we revealed the contenders for the Thatcham Research sponsored 2025 What Car? Safety Award, with this year’s shortlist representing the safest vehicles available on UK roads.

The vehicles were chosen by Thatcham Research subject matter experts, Euro NCAP and What Car? based on Euro NCAP safety test scores alongside other criteria such as expected market volume.

With modern cars setting new performance standards across an ever more exacting range of collision scenarios, the judges also carefully considered how Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) were implemented on the shortlisted vehicles. Judges assessed how accurate the systems were, how they provided information to the driver and whether they were implemented collaboratively.

To see the full list of the year’s safest cars, along with insights from the judges and our Chief Research & Operations Officer, Richard Billyeald, click here to be taken to our media centre.

And watch this space to find out which car will be crowned the safest car of the year at the What Car? Car of the Year awards on the evening of January 23.