Canadians want safe cars but lack trust

Canadians seem to have a lot of interest in vehicle safety. But when it comes to confidence behind the wheel, many are casting doubt.

A recent report from Volvo Car Canada showed that while 81 per cent of Canadians say safety ratings influence their car-buying decisions, only 40 per cent feel completely confident their current vehicle would protect them in a crash.

That number drops even lower among Gen Z drivers, with just 32 per cent expressing full confidence.

“Canadians are telling us safety matters, and we’ve been listening for decades,” said Matt Girgis, Managing Director at Volvo Car Canada.

The survey highlighted a growing gap between what drivers say they value and how they actually feel on the road. Other key findings from the survey include:

• Confidence gap: Only 40 per cent of Canadians feel fully protected in their current vehicle. Boomers are the most confident at 48 per cent, while Gen Z trails at 32 per cent.
• Tech trust issues: While 61 per cent of drivers trust features like blind spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist, nearly 59 per cent — especially younger drivers — say modern safety tech can be distracting or confusing.
• Safety vs. spending: Just 9 per cent of Canadians rank safety as their top priority when buying a car. Price (34 per cent) and fuel efficiency (15 per cent) still lead the pack.
• Must-have features: Backup cameras (40 per cent) and blind spot detection (26 per cent) top the list of essential safety tools. More than half of Canadians say they’re willing to pay extra for advanced safety features.

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