The rising popularity of SUVs since the mid-1990s has been growing steadily now that manufacturers are focusing much more on technology and in-cabin comfort. However, these are not the only reasons that consumers are interested in mid-size SUVs; utility is of the utmost importance and, for those with families, safety is a key factor.

A common thought when it comes to SUVs is “the bigger the car, the safer it is.” However, that may not always be true. Luckily, with a large amount of standard and available safety features in SUVs currently in the market, you can rest assured that your family will be safe regardless of choice. To help narrow down your search, here is a list of five of the safest SUVs under $40,000.

2020 Ford Edge

Starting MSRP: $31,100

With a bevy of standard safety features, stout engine choices, and available all-wheel drive, the Ford Edge has long been a great contender in the midsize crossover market. For 2020, the Ford Edge comes standard with blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, collision mitigation and lane keep assist. The IIHS rated it as one of their 2020 Top Safety Picks and it NHSTA scored it with five stars in their frontal and side crash tests.

2020 Hyundai Palisade

Starting MSRP: $31,775

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade is so new that there aren’t any NHTSA crash test ratings (as of this writing) yet, however, it is one of the IIHS’ Top Safety Picks for 2020. Some of the key standard safety features include Park Distance Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Driver Attention Warning, and our favorite, Rear Occupant Alert, which audibly and visibly alerts you that you left your child in the car. Hyundai’s tagline “Intelligent safety for all” definitely rings true in the Palisade.

2020 Subaru Ascent

Starting MSRP: $31,995

With standard all-wheel drive and the standard Eyesight Driver Assist Technology suite, It’s no wonder that the Subaru Ascent is on this list. The Ascent earned a high ranking with the IIHS as one of their Top Safety Picks and garnered a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA. With standard features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and pre-collision braking, the Subaru Ascent would be a great contender on anyone’s shortlist.

2020 Volkswagen Tiguan

Starting MSRP: $24,945

Volkswagen has been touting the safeness of their vehicles for years and the Tiguan is a great platform to showcase them. The Tiguan has gotten bigger and wider over the past couple of years, but greater size typically means greater safety. With available features like park distance control, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and lane assist, in addition to stout German engineering, it’s easy to why the Tiguan is one of the IIHS’ Top Safety Picks for 2020.

2020 Mazda CX-9

Starting MSRP: $35,790

The Mazda CX-9 has the highest starting price tag on this list, however, it does come standard with a host of safety features including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic assist, blind spot monitoring, and Advanced Smart City Brake Support with Pedestrian Detection, which aids in mitigating any frontal collisions while driving at slower speeds or congested areas. All of these features helped the CX-9 earn a five-star safety rating from NHTSA as well as a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS.

Making the Right Decision

Choosing the right SUV for your family can be tough, however, we can see that most of the midsize selections on the market today will keep you and your occupants as safe as possible. Gone are the days of only having airbags to rely on and considering how quickly technology is moving, we’re sure that these safety systems will only get even better in the future.