2013 Toyota CorollaThe reliable Toyota Corolla comes standard with a wide range of advanced safety features, including anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control, and brake assist. Look for this Top Safety Pick in LE-or-higher trim to get cruise control. The Corolla is comfortable and easy to drive, and you may be surprised by how roomy the rear seats are.

2015 Honda CivicThe Honda Civic is available in a variety of body styles with a choice of engines and transmissions. Better yet, Civics are known for safety, comfort, and fuel efficiency. The Civic is a TSP that comes standard with ABS, a rearview camera, stability control, brake assist, and more.

2009 Toyota RAV4The comfortable 2009 Toyota RAV4 is available as a 5- or 7-passenger compact SUV, and you can get a frugal 4-cylinder engine or a powerful V6. This generation RAV came standard with a rearview camera that uses a monitor in the rearview mirror. It also had traction control and enhanced stability control, and its ABS used electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist.

2011 Honda ElementBased on the same platform as the CR-V, the Honda Element pairs an easy-to-reconfigure, weather-resistant interior with unique styling. A Top Safety Pick, the 2011 Element came standard with ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, stability and traction control, and tire-pressure monitoring.

2011 Toyota AvalonThe Toyota Avalon is a reliable, posh ride you might expect from the automaker's Lexus luxury line. It also has a fuel-efficient V6 and plenty of room for shuttling around a small family in style. A Top Safety Pick that earned a 5-Star rating from NHTSA, the Avalon came standard with an array of safety features.

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2006 Honda CivicConsidered by some as the gold standard for compact cars, the Honda Civic can seemingly do no wrong. Refined with a good fit and finish and a comfortable ride, this sedan handles well and is known for reliability. It's also an IIHS TSP Gold pick -- their top tier for safety in 2006 -- and earned a 5-Star NHTSA rating. Note: the sedan performed better than the coupe in IIHS testing.

2007 Toyota CorollaWith a reputation for great reliability, fuel economy (with an average of 29 mpg), and resale value, the Toyota Corolla tips the scales like few others. Parts are plentiful, as are the technicians who know how to fix them. This Corolla scored well in IIHS and NHTSA tests. Shop for an LE to get all available safety features, including additional air bags.

2005 Toyota AvalonThe full-size Toyota Avalon offers a generous interior packed with so much luxury that many owners consider the car to be almost Lexus-like. It's a modern, front-wheel-drive sedan with an impeccable history of excellent service, outstanding quality, and best-in-class resale. The Avalon also offers a powerful yet fuel-efficient V6 engine and a huge and easily accessible trunk. In 2005, stability control was optional, as was adaptive cruise control. Shop for an XLS or Limited to get the most advanced safety features.

2006 Honda PilotThe Honda Pilot has earned a reputation for reliability, comfort, and performance. Its silky-smooth V6 engine delivers strong performance coupled with good fuel economy. If you want all-wheel drive, Honda's innovative VTM-4 system provides automatic engagement when needed and a manual locking mode for dealing with those tougher situations. The Pilot performed well in IIHS and NHTSA testing. Shop for an EX or higher trim level to get stability control, electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, stability control, and tire pressure monitoring.

2004 Toyota PriusThe first mainstream hybrid car, the Prius, is backed by Toyota's famous reliability, comes with a spacious interior and large cargo area, and fuel economy as good as 49 mpg. While it came standard with ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, dual front air bags, and traction control, look for a model equipped with the optional side-impact air bags. This Prius performed well in safety testing when equipped with the extra air bags.

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2002 Toyota HighlanderThe Toyota Highlander is one of the most popular crossover SUVs on the market. It embodies the handling and safety of a car while providing the interior room and versatility of a big SUV. The Highlander offers a good balance between people and cargo space. Despite the older age of this model, its excellent long-term service history makes it a worthy investment. This generation Highlander performed well in IIHS and NHTSA testing.

This story originally ran on KBB.com.

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