Buying a car is based on many factors, not just 1-2. 

What use is it to buy the safest car on the planet, if it keeps leaving you stranded every day? 

What use is it buying a super reliable vehicle, but is so flimsy that even the most minor shunt, totals it?

What use is it buying a feature laden car, if it isn’t reliable & safe? 

I think it’s one of those cases of choose your poison.

Function is #1

I consider both of those in my decision, along with budget, styling, and maintenance. 

I would filter my choices by reliability, and avoid any dangerous cars while doing so, but they don't need to be top safety picks or anything just shouldn't get 1 star in the side crash. Its sort of a case by case situation. If you are picking between a two subcompacts then safety isn't a priority because you have decided to pick one of the smallest cars out there in a country with a bunch of F-150s and Suburbans running around. If you are a Volvo buyer, safety is evidently the most important factor that would lean you towards the brand. Generally, unsafe cars (independent of category, weight, or size) are those that either a. are cheaply made or b. haven't had their kinks worked out. Thats why I oppose the logic that "Toyotas are safe because they are well made." It takes Toyota, like most other automakes, years even generations to work some things out. Thats just how the automotive industry is. In a similar regards, safety ratings are also misleading in some regards. Just like "Its Japanese its well made so its safe," I also find it misleading for people to look at the sticker of a Corolla or Accent and say "oh it got 5 stars in this crash test so its a safe vehicle to put my family in." Not only are federal crash tests from the 70s and often falsely show unsafe cars to be safe (like the Mitsubishi Mirage getting the same amount of stars as a BMW X5, which is evidently much safer, even when size isn't accounted for) but people need to consider size, weight, year, class... Where I am going with this is, safety is an important factor but many people's idea of safety is flawed. Also, what good does a safe car do if it isn't reliable? You see many Hyundais and Chevrolets and BMWs in ads saying "we have more safety awards than Toyota, Honda, and Nissan!" They are using safety as a selling point and not letting consumers pick. 

I personally would go about as first priority reliability, price, then how modern it is(don't want a 20 year old car), and safety would be something filtered along the way. 

Again, its a case by case thing. Someone on this forum bought an XC70 right? Safety would be a higher priority than reliability, but reliability would still be important. For someone buying a Mitsubishi Mirage, they want something cheap to repair and maintain and thus care more about reliability, or they falsely factor in safety.

I take everything into account before I purchase a vehicle, but it starts with weeding out the cars based on my needs and then the best chance for long term reliability.  Then among those I look at total cost of ownership (including maintenance, repairs, fuel, tires, insurance), styling, safety, features, is this a vehicle I can stand to live with for a long time?, etc.  There is usually a compromise amongst all these.  There is no perfect car.

To me, it’s all about handling: … car telegraphing all its moves to a driver with utmost of precision.Those cars no longer exist, …

Best handling car I ever owned was ‘79 BMW 320i, … no muss no fuss, it went where you wanted it to go, … it tracked like an arrow, it reacted to the throttle, brakes, steering input, clutch, … as I wished, with precision! It warned you when the limits were nigh. Visibility all around was perfect, … driving position was perfect, too: seats, brake, clutch, accelerator, miscellaneous controls, …

Closest to that one was (not mine, but available to me on occasion) a ‘11 BMW 1 Series M Coupé. Not as good, … but damn close: … vague steering was its Achilles heel.

Anyway, … give me a driving partner and I’m gone, gone for a long, long aimless drive! These days, … it’s my ‘04 Miata.

F.S.