American organization IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has just unveiled its annual list of the safest vehicles commercially available on the market in North America, after putting a huge number of 2018 model-year vehicles through their paces.
Once again, the organization tightened the screws by making the criteria for Top Safety Pick+ stricter than before. Vehicle must now obtain a Good or Acceptable rating for passenger-side crash safety with small overlap for frontal collisions to earn this designation. And in determining the Top Safety Pick winners, IIHS now takes into account headlight performance.
"Drivers expect that their passengers, who are often family, will be protected just as well as they are. Manufacturers have been taking this issue seriously since we first shed light on it, and we're confident that good small overlap protection will become the norm on the passenger side, just as it has on the driver side."
- Adrian Lund, IIHS President
To earn either of these honours, vehicles must successfully pass five different crash tests as well as score Advanced or Superior for forward collision prevention, with a standard or optional automatic braking system in place.
2018 Top Safety Pick+:
- BMW 5 Series
- Genesis G80
- Genesis G90
- Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
- Hyundai Santa Fe XL
- Kia Forte
- Kia Soul
- Lincoln Continental
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class
- Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
- Subaru Impreza 4-door / 5-door
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Outback
- Subaru WRX
- Toyota Camry
2018 Top Safety Pick:
- Acura MDX
- Acura RDX
- Alfa Romeo Giulia
- Audi A3
- Audi A4
- BMW 3 Series
- Buick Envision
- Chevrolet Volt
- Chrysler Pacifica
- Honda Accord
- Honda CR-V
- Honda Odyssey
- Honda Pilot
- Honda Ridgeline
- Hyundai Elantra
- Hyundai Elantra GT
- Hyundai IONIQ hybrid
- Hyundai Sonata
- Hyundai Tucson
- Kia Cadenza
- Kia Optima
- Kia Sportage
- Kia Sorento
- Lexus ES
- Lexus IS
- Lexus NX
- Lexus RX
- Mazda3 / Mazda3 Sport
- Mazda CX-3
- Mazda CX-5
- Mazda CX-9
- Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
- Mitsubishi Outlander
- Nissan Altima
- Nissan Maxima
- Nissan Rogue
- Subaru Crosstrek
- Subaru Forester
- Toyota Avalon
- Toyota Corolla
- Toyota Highlander
- Toyota Prius
- Toyota Prius Prime
- Toyota RAV4
- Volvo S60
- Volvo V60
- Volvo XC60
Take note that other models will join the list as IIHS continues its testing throughout 2018.