8 New Safe and Affordable Vehicles

Toyota Avalon

TOYOTA

Avalon is the champ among nonluxury large cars, Consumer Reports says. The redesigned 2019 model provides a rich array of safety features, including automatic braking, in a Toyota Safety Sense suite that's standard even on the base version.

One problem not unique to Avalon: You must buy one of the higher trim levels — priced beyond our $37,000 cap — to get top-rated headlights.

Chevrolet Impala

CHEVROLET

Chevrolet's Impala might not pop into your mind, but Consumer Reports considers it No. 2 to Avalon.

Kelley Blue Book applauds the big, comfortable sedan for its "good design, great comfort and trunk space that actually tops many SUVs."

But it's being discontinued in January 2020, Chevy says.

"They built a good car that nobody wanted,” Takahashi says.

If you go for it, think of it as a long-term buy. If you swap for a new model in three years, you'll probably find the Impala's value is lower than it would be if it still were in production.

Also, the Impala and Avalon both are conventional sedans, so you sit lower than in an SUV or truck. Be sure you can get in and out easily and comfortably see the road ahead and behind you.

SUBARU

Subaru Outback

Subaru Outback, one of few station wagons sold in the U.S., is worth a hard look. Consumer Reports recommends it, saying Outback has a “long-running reputation as a smart alternative to an SUV.” The 2020 model is a redesign that the magazine says “gains elegance in its exterior design while adding comfort and convenience features."

All-wheel-drive is standard, true for all Subarus except the BRZ sports car, as is the brand's EyeSight suite of safety features.

VOLKSWAGEN

Volkswagen Jetta

The Jetta is a pleasant surprise. The redesigned 2019 that we drove earlier this year was remarkably well equipped — if any feature was missing, we didn't notice — for about $29,000.

Classified a compact sedan, it's not a small car inside.

"It's big, seems like a (VW mid-size) Passat from a few years ago,” Edmunds’ Takahaskhi says. “The ride comfort is on par with luxury cars, there's good storage for personal effects and the premium Beats audio system is good.”

Consumer Reports praises, among other things, its fuel economy, “54 mpg on the highway in our tests — truly outstanding for a nonhybrid or nondiesel sedan of this size.” An overall mix of driving yielded 34 mpg.

We found the ride a bit choppy on some pavement and, agreeing with CR, its handling less agile than previous VWs.

HONDA

Honda Accord

Honda Accord “blew us away,” Takahashi says.

The redesigned mid-size four-door sedan is excellent “in comfort, styling, performance,” he says. “In its top trim (Touring), it starts knocking on the luxury group” — for about $36,000.

MAZDA

Mazda MX-5 Miata

The small, two-seat roadster won't suit if you're tall or have trouble dropping way down into the seats and clambering back out.

But if you do fit, oh, boy!

"Loads of fun, a throwback to the old roadster days,” Takahashi says. “It feels really good — as close to a motorcycle on four wheels as you can get."

You can skip the folding-top roadster in favor of the hardtop version, Grand Touring. That's a nearly everything model for about $36,000.

But a caution: No crash-test ratings yet.

HONDA

Honda CR-V

The 2019 CR-V, one of the five top-selling vehicles in the U.S., is alluring for those who want an SUV. The all-wheel-drive top-end Touring model is less than $36,000.

Consumer Reports notes that the CR-V is “small enough to navigate through tight parking lots, yet roomy enough inside to comfortably fit five adults."

Its drawback: You're stuck with Honda's too-tricky electronic and screen controls.

"Performing common tasks requires multiple, often distracting, steps,” the nonprofit magazine says as a complaint.