Cars With the Best and Worst Visibility
Clear visibility should be a given with cars, as safety is so dependent on having an unobstructed view of the road and surrounding hazards. But many of today’s vehicles have compromised visibility due to cool styling cues, aerodynamic consideration, and roof strength requirements—resulting in thick roof poles, narrow side windows, and tall rear decks.
As part of our extensive road test evaluations, drivers of different sizes rate how they can see forward, to the rear, to the sides, and while using inwards and outside mirrors. From the resulting visibility score, we present the cars with the best and worst visibility in rank order below.
Backup sensors, blind-spot monitors, and rear cross-traffic-alert systems have blossomed, offsetting the limitations for many designs—although often at an added cost. Many mainstream models now come with standard backup cameras, but they remarkably often remain optional on expensive European brands. While all of these safety systems can be a welcome driver’s aid, they are simply not a substitute for being able to lightly see your surroundings and react accordingly.
Be sure to consider how effortless it is to clearly see out and around when road testing your next car.
Subaru Forester
It’s boxy, and good. So many puny SUVs have sleek profiles that badly crimp the driver’s view out—especially over your right shoulder. But the Forester embraces its earnest and boxy styling. Big windows, a square greenhouse, and lean roof piles bring outstanding visibility, surrounding you with glass. There’s a puny blind spot at the rear corner, but it’s not too bad, and the big side mirrors help. A backup camera is standard across the lineup. Blind-spot monitoring ultimately became available with the two thousand seventeen update. Hitting the sweet spot among puny SUVs, the Forester supplies a spacious interior in a right-sized, affordable package. Crash test results are excellent and advanced EyeSight safety equipment, including forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, is a readily available option. Fuel economy is excellent at twenty six mpg overall, especially given its standard all-wheel drive.
Subaru Outback
Like the Forester, the Outback’s upright greenhouse, big windows, and skinny poles all combine to optimize visibility, making it effortless to see out the back and minimizing blind catches sight of. Another big plus: A backup camera comes standard on all Outbacks. Blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert are optional on the Premium trim and standard on Limited versions. In addition, the Outback is a roomy and functional SUV alternative that appeals to the practical-minded buyer. It rails very conveniently. Standard all-wheel drive supplies reassuring traction in wintry conditions. Available on most trim lines, Subaru’s optional EyeSight advanced safety equipment works well and includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. The Two.5-liter four-cylinder comebacks twenty four mpg overall, while the spunkier Trio.6-liter six-cylinder loses two mpg.
Subaru Legacy
Maybe the Legacy lacks the sleek styling of a Chrysler two hundred or Chevrolet Malibu. But its upright greenhouse, big windows, and skinny piles combine to provide the best visibility of any midsized sedan. Another big plus: A backup camera is standard across the line, and blind spot monitoring and EyeSight’s forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking are readily available options. With very few compromises, the Subaru Legacy is a superb all-around sedan, thanks to its standard all-wheel drive and reasonable price. It effectively blends a cushy rail, responsive treating, a roomy and quiet interior, and elementary controls. This all adds up to a package that puts it among the top performers in our ratings of midsized family sedans.
Land Rover Range Rover
Sure, the costly Range Rover is the choice of landed gentry, or royal wannabes. But there are practical benefits to its imposing, regal profile. You sit up high, surrounded by enormous vertical windows. Windshield poles are lean, making for a panoramic view out the front and sides. We suggest getting the Vision Assist Package, with its blind-spot monitoring, surround-view camera, and cross-traffic alert. A wire grid is embedded in the glass to melt snow and nice. This is a superb convenience in the winter, but can be distracting when your eye concentrates on those lean lines. Even however the top Land Rover can clamber up a muddy and rocky trail, owners of any ultra-luxury sedan will feel right at home in the Range Rover. The supercharged V6 and excellent eight-speed automatic provide effortless motivation, and the air suspension gulps up bumps. Cabin furnishings and seats are first-rate. But reliability for Land Rover products has been below-average, which crimps its desirability.
Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Think of the Range Rover Sport as the punk brother to the stately Range Rover, focusing more on maneuverability and treating prowess and less on rail convenience and off-road capability. But just like its sibling, the Sport’s high seating position, skinny poles, and lots of glass all contribute to superb visibility to the front and sides. Vision out of the sloping back window, tho’, is largely blocked by the large rear-seat head restraints. Gigantic side mirrors help with the rear view, along with a standard rear camera. We recommend the Vision and Convenience package for the added safety of blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, and a surround-view camera system. Most of the time you don’t notice the heating wires embedded in the windshield, but they can make sun glare or other lights extra distracting when you do. Again, below-average reliability might be a concern.
Honda Fit
Not only does the Fit’s upright hatchback design provide slew of interior space, it also supplies superb visibility. Windows all around are large for a subcompact car. Most roof poles are fairly skinny, and there’s a sail window at the base of the windshield piles to further aid visibility. The rear pole is a bit thick. Rear seat head restraints fold down low when not in use, aiding the rearward view. Door mirrors are large. The Fit is one of the cheapest cars with a standard backup camera, something even expensive German luxury cars make optional. The screen pic is large and effortless to read. EX and EX-L trims have Honda LaneWatch standard. Trigger the right turn signal and the center screen shows what’s alongside the passenger side of the car—but that’s no substitute for a total blind spot monitoring system. The Honda Fit is an appealing urban runabout, with its clean size, voluminous interior, amazing versatility, and good fuel economy.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Few cars are more welcome road excursion companions than the cosseting E-Class. Aiding that cruising ease is visibility that ranks among the best of any sedan. Roof poles, especially the windshield pole, are lean, and the upright greenhouse provides slew of glass area. Rear vision is remarkably good through the large back window, despite the high rear package shelf and rear head restraints common in luxury sedans. That said, the optional backup camera does merit a major complaint: It doesn’t emerge when the radio is turned off. Despite the E-Class’ price premium, some desirable features like backup camera, blind-spot monitor, and lane-keep assist are optional. Long a luxury sedan benchmark, the E-Class puts convenience, function, and good reflexes over glitzy flash. Passengers are coddled by a plush rail and utterly comfy seats while ensconced within an impeccably finished interior. Note that the E-Class is redesigned for 2017; the more curvy-styled successor may sacrifice some visibility.
Honda Accord
The latest aesthetic of swoopy, coupe-like styling and thick roof poles have made driving some sedans akin to looking out of a gun turret. But not the Accord. Overall visibility is excellent, thanks to its upright styling, lean roof poles, and a low beltline, providing it a broad expanse of glass all around. All trims come with a standard backup camera that works well, displaying the photo in the large center screen. In the race to innovate blind-spot detection systems, Honda offers a system called Lanewatch. It uses a camera on the passenger-side mirror that displays the right-hand flank of the car in the center-dash screen when the right-side turn signal is activated—but it’s no substitute for a utter blind spot monitoring system. Across all trim lines, the Accord is well-equipped and priced competitively, making it one of our top-rated family sedans. It treats responsively, however the rail tends to be choppy. It has a roomy and well-finished interior, and the base four-cylinder engine gets thirty mpg overall.
Nissan Altima
Facing a furiously competitive midsized sedan marketplace, the Altima comes up brief, proving humdrum to drive and suffering from below-average reliability. But at least it provides slew of space inwards and effortless driver visibility. Large windows and moderately sized front poles make for a good view out. Typical for a sedan, the high rear deck boundaries visibility out the back and the rear roof poles create a blind spot, albeit the petite quarter window helps. A rear camera is standard on all but the most basic version, and blind-spot monitoring comes standard on mid-level SV and higher trims.
Cars with Worst Visibility
Nissan Z: Visibility takes a back seat due to thick poles.
Porsche Boxster: With the top up, it is hard to see rearward.
Honda CR-Z: Poor rear visibility is made worse by a horizontally split window.
Buick Encore: Thick piles and pinched rear glass limit the view.
Infiniti QX70: Broad roof piles, brief windows, and a long, high, bulbous bondage mask interfere.
Toyota Tundra: Broad roof poles and large rear head restraints obstruct the view to the rear and sides.
Nissan Pathfinder: The puny back window inhibits the view straight back.
Brainy ForTwo: Thick roof poles create some big blind catches sight of to the rear.
Jeep Wrangler: A high dashboard and long fetish mask interfere with visibility to the front, while thick piles, the outside spare tire, and windshield wiper motor housing all interfere with the view to the rear.