If you are like most drivers, you put a premium on safety. Automakers do as well, adding active and passive safety features to their various vehicles. However, this was not always the case, with features like three-point safety belts and airbags only becoming standard equipment over the last forty years. That was when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began conducting crash tests on most passenger vehicles sold in America. Before this started in 1978, you had to go by word of mouth to determine which cars were the safest.
Car accidents are a fact of life. No matter how honed your defensive driving skills are or how many active driver assistance features you have, you may still get into a crash. This is why you will want to know which models rank among the top ones in their vehicle category. To that end, the NHTSA and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) run their own tests and then publish their findings so drivers like you and me can find the safest models.
The IIHS and NHTSA Safety Ratings
The NHTSA began conducting high-speed frontal barrier crash tests in 1978. This was under the auspices of the Motor Vehicle and Cost Savings Act. The goal was to provide consumers with an understanding of the models that would provide passengers with the greatest safety in the event of a frontal collision. Since then, the NHTSA has added other tests, like rollover and side impact collisions. The results are then posted on the NHTSA website, with the results scored on a five-star basis, with five being the highest rating.
The IIHS followed suit in 1995, beginning to perform crash tests as well. These include factors such as head restraint analysis to reduce whiplash and collision mitigation technology. The IIHS then publishes a list of the Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ ratings in each vehicle class. The results are similar to the NHTSA, but not always the same due to their different methodology.
Safest Sedans
There was a time when sedans were the most popular passenger vehicles. While this is no longer the case, many still love these types of cars. There are some differences when it comes to safety, so it is important to understand that the IIHS and NHTSA rate them based on specific sizes.
Interestingly, more compact sedans made the IIHS list than any other size sedan. Five 2025 compacts rated Top Safety Pick+ in the small car category:
- Acura Integra hatchback
- Honda Civic sedan
- Mazda3 hatchback
- Mazda3 sedan
- Toyota Prius
In addition, the following 2025 small sedans were all Top Safety Picks:
- Honda Civic hatchback
- Hyundai Elantra
- Kia K4 sedan
- Mini Countryman hatchback
- Subaru Impreza
- Subaru WRX
- Toyota Corolla sedan
- Toyota Prius Prime
These models also received five-star ratings from the NHTSA for overall safety. However, there are some things to keep in mind. Neither the Kia K4 nor the Mini Countryman has received ratings from the NHTSA. Moreover, the Hyundai Elantra and the Honda Civic hatchback and sedan only received four stars from the NHTSA for frontal impact tests, while the Toyota Prius and Toyota Corolla were only rated four stars for rollover resistance.
For midsize sedans, there were only four 2025 models to be named Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS:
- Honda Accord
- Hyundai IONIQ 6
- Toyota Camry
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan
The Hyundai Sonata and Subaru Outback wagon were also named Top Safety Picks. The NHTSA has not yet reviewed the Mercedes-Benz and the Toyota Camry. The remaining models all received five stars for overall safety, but the Hyundai Sonata and IONIQ 6 only got four stars for frontal impact, while the Subaru Outback got four stars for rollover.
A surprisingly large number of full-size sedans are also rated highly by the IIHS and NHTSA. The Genesis G80 and G90 were both named Top Safety Pick+, while the Toyota Crown, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class were named Top Safety Picks by the IIHS. However, only the Genesis G80 and the Toyota Crown have been tested by the NHTSA. While both got five stars overall, the Genesis only got four stars on frontal impact, while the Crown only rated four stars in frontal impact and rollover. This is something to consider if you are in the market for a full-size sedan.
SUVs and Safety
The broadest class of vehicles is the SUV, and it is also the one with the most Top Safety Picks and five-star rated vehicles. This is because SUVs come in many different sizes and configurations. This can get a little confusing, as the IIHS puts compact and subcompact SUVs into the small SUV categories, mixes midsize SUVs with two rows together, and then has a large SUV category that can be best described as full-size models.
Among small SUVs, the ones that were named Top Safety Pick+ for 2025 include:
- Genesis GV60
- Honda HR-V
- Hyundai IONIQ 5
- Hyundai Kona
- Hyundai Tucson
- Mazda CX-30
- Mazda CX-50
- Subaru Forester
- Subaru Solterra
A number of other models for 2025 were also named Top Safety Picks:
- BMW X1
- BMW X2
- Honda CR-V
- Kia Sportage
- Nissan Kicks
Of these models, the NHTSA has not rated the BMW X2, Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Tucson, Nissan Kicks, and Subaru Forester. Of the remaining ones, none has achieved a perfect score. The Genesis GV60 and Honda CR-V received four stars from the NHTSA for frontal crash, while the Honda HR-V and CR-V, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-30 and CX-50, and Subaru Solterra received four stars for rollover. In addition, the BMW X1 and Hyundai Kona received four stars for overall safety, making them less dependable than the other models.
The largest number of models on the IIHS list are midsize SUVs. Top Safety Pick+ selections include:
- Ford Explorer
- Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Honda Pilot
- Kia Telluride
- Mazda CX-70
- Mazda CX-90
- Nissan Pathfinder
- Subaru Ascent
- Acura MDX-90
- BMW X3
- BMW X5
- Genesis GV70
- Genesis GV80
- Infiniti QX60
- Lexus NX
- Lincoln Nautilus
- Mercedes-Benz GLC
- Mercedes-Benz GLE
- Tesla Model Y
- Volvo XC90
A surprising number of these have yet to be reviewed by the NHTSA, including the Ford Explorer, Mazda CX-70, Acura MDX-90, BMW X3, Genesis GV80, Lexus NX, Lincoln Nautilus, and the Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLE. Of the remaining ones, all received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA except the BMW X5, which received four stars overall. Still, each model had issues with either frontal collision or rollover, receiving four stars in one or both categories, except for the Tesla Model Y, which received five stars in each category from the NHTSA.
Full-size SUVs are called large SUVs by the IIHS. Of these, only the 2025 Rivian R1S received a Top Safety Pick+ rating, while the following received nods for Top Safety Pick:
- Audi Q7
- Audi Q8
- Infiniti QX80
- Jeep Wagoneer
The Rivian R1S and the Infiniti QX80 have yet to be reviewed by the NHTSA, while the Jeep Wagoneer only got a four-star rating for overall safety, with three stars for rollover. While both Audi models received five stars for overall safety, the Q8 got four stars for rollover, while the Q7 received four stars for frontal crash and rollover.
Safe Pickup Trucks
The best-selling passenger vehicles in America are pickup trucks. However, not many of them made it onto the IIHS list. This is divided into two categories: small pickups for compact and midsize trucks, and large pickups for full and heavy-duty trucks. Still, no heavy-duty trucks made the IIHS list. Among small pickups, the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Toyota Tacoma were named Top Safety Picks. As for large pickups, the Rivian R1T and Toyota Tundra with crew cab were given Top Safety Pick+ honors, while the Ford F-150 with either crew cab or extended cab, and the Toyota Tundra extended cab were named Top Safety Picks.
Of these trucks, the Tacoma and the Rivian have not been rated by the NHTSA. The other four trucks received five stars for overall safety from the NHTSA. However, they also received only four stars for rollover, so none of the trucks got a perfect score from the NHTSA.
Know Before You Go
Staying informed is crucial when buying a vehicle. Fortunately, the IIHS and NHTSA provide safety information on most passenger vehicles. This helps you know ahead of time the ones that are considered the safest. If the two agencies show anything, it is that you cannot go by just one review. It is vital to check both the IIHS and NHTSA websites so you will know whether the next vehicle you buy will give you and your passengers the protection you need in the event of a collision.
