Rating of the best cars for senior drivers 2017

People tend to overestimate the risks associated with older drivers. Young drivers are still the most dangerous in terms of fatal accidents today.

However, older drivers and motorists with limited mobility need a vehicle with good visibility, easy-to-reach and intuitive controls.

The authoritative foreign magazine Consumer Reports compiled rating of the best cars for senior drivers 2017, whose reliability, owner satisfaction and safety are top notch.

The journal took into account the following factors:

1. Front seat access... Low door sills and wider doors are preferred for people with physical disabilities.

2. Visibility. The top 5 includes cars that allow both high and low drivers to see the traffic situation well using the front, side and rear mirrors.

3. Control elements. Good cars for older drivers should have easy-to-read gauges and simple controls. We are talking not only about the steering wheel itself, but also about the knobs and buttons for controlling the radio and climate control, as well as the gearshift mechanism.

4. Headlights. Cars can vary in terms of how well their headlights illuminate the road ahead. Elderly people often have vision problems, especially at night, so they need good road lighting.

Here's what the top 5 best cars for seniors look like:

5. Kia Sportage

This crossover is one of the best in terms of reliability and maintainability. It has good cross-country ability both in snow and mud, and is suitable for off-road travel and for city driving. It has a high ceiling, large capacity and decent ground clearance - 182 mm. Consumer Reports noted the following positive options for the Kia Sportage for older drivers:

• convenient access to the front seats;

• good control over the road and predictable behavior of the car;

• bright headlights;

• the presence of security systems such as AVSM, AVH, ABS, traffic warning in the "blind" zone and a system of all-round visibility.

4. Subaru Legacy

In 2013, this Japanese sedan underwent a restyling. The designers made changes to the false radiator grille and the shape of the front bumper and the car began to look more sporty. Due to its appearance, some aged drivers may refuse to buy, considering the car "youth" ... and they will be wrong. Here are the advantages of the Subaru Legacy:

• excellent visibility, thanks to the change in the angle of the front struts. This made it possible to reduce the sectors of view, which are covered by the rear-view mirrors;

• good control over the road;

• Advanced active and passive safety systems including blind spot monitoring, lane change assist, reverse warning and fog lights to see the road ahead when cornering.

3. Kia Soul

One of the most popular hatchbacks in Russia is good for everyone: it is beautiful and roomy, the suspension is elastic, and the seats are comfortable and the visibility is good. Here's how he delighted drivers and caught the attention of Consumer Reports:

• easy access to the front seats;

• predictability and excellent handling;

• the presence of curtain airbags, front and side airbags as standard

• the presence of an emergency braking assistance system, an active control system, ABS, ESC and a blind spot monitoring system (optional).

According to drivers, the Kia Soul has a very good head light, which is also a plus when choosing a car for an elderly and not too vigilant motorist.

2. Subaru Outback

In the updated 2018 Outback station wagon, the manufacturer has made several improvements. Chief among them is the modernized interior. Now the car interior will be truly quiet. Other changes include a redesigned center panel, an air conditioning system that supposedly cools the cabin faster than its predecessor, and more upscale parts in top trims. How can the Subaru Outback attract older drivers? It has three of four main strengths:

• excellent visibility;

• perfect control on the road;

• and very bright headlights.

The experts have no complaints about security either. The car also has blind spot monitoring (optional) and assistance when driving off-road and an intelligent drive system and warning of a possible collision when reversing (again optional).

1. Subaru Forester

Japanese quality, reliability and safety have long been well-known in the automotive market. Therefore, it is not surprising that it was the "Japanese" who became the best choice for an elderly driver. These are the main advantages of this machine:

• easy access to the front seats;

• good visibility;

• Ease of Management;

• a variety of active and passive safety systems, including 7 airbags, dynamic stability control and a three-mode "smart" drive system with steering wheel controls.

Of course, there comes a point where older drivers should no longer drive, no matter what kind of car they have. But that's a completely different story.