Every year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) releases its list of safest vehicles on the market. The group looks at “crashworthiness,” which is how well a vehicle protects the driver and passengers in a collision. IIHS also examines front crash prevention, as well as systems designed to warn drivers about or mitigate an oncoming collision.
The IIHS has two awards, their Top Safety Pick and their Top Safety Pick Plus. The Top Safety Pick (TSP) has been in place since the 2006 model year. In order to win this award, vehicles must earn “good” ratings in five crashworthiness tests: 1) small overlap front, 2) moderate overlap front, 3) side, 4) roof strength, and 5) head restraints. This, in addition to a basic front crash prevention test. IIHS has given out its Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) awards since the 2013 model year. In order to qualify, the vehicles must earn “good” ratings in the same five crashworthiness tests, and an “advanced” or “superior” rating in the front crash prevention test.
It is important to note that with the TSP and TSP+ awards, vehicles with optional front crash prevention systems will qualify only if those systems are actually installed. Additionally, the size and weight of a car are also considered in its “crashworthiness” rankings. For example, a larger or heavier vehicle will typically protect its occupants better than a smaller or lighter car. Just because a smaller car is awarded TSP or TSP+, that does not mean that particular vehicle provides better protection than a larger car without a TSP or TSP+ rating.
Here are the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s selections for safest vehicles of 2016:
Minicars TSP+
2016 Mini Cooper; hardtop 2-door models built after November 2015
2016 Scion iA
Small Cars TSP
2016 Chevrolet Sonic
2016 Kia Soul
Small Cars TSP+
2016 Acura ILX
2016 Honda Civic 2-door coupe
2016 Honda Civic 4-door sedan
2017 Hyundai Elantra; sedans built after March 2016
2016 Lexus CT 200h
2016 Mazda 3; 4-door hatchback or 4-door sedan
2016 Nissan Sentra
2016 Subaru Crosstrek
2016 Subaru Impreza
2016 Subaru WRX
2016 Toyota Prius
2016 Volkswagen Golf; 4-door and SportWagen models
2016 Volkswagen GTI; 4-door models
Midsize Cars TSP
2016 Chevrolet Malibu Limited
Midsize Cars TSP+
2016 Chevrolet Malibu
2016 Chrysler 200
2017 Ford Fusion
2016 Honda Accord 2-door coupe
2016 Honda Accord 4-door sedan
2016 Hyundai Sonata; built after October 2015
2016 Kia Optima
2016 Mazda 6
2016 Nissan Altima
2016 Nissan Maxima
2016 Subaru Legacy
2016 Subaru Outback
2016 Toyota Camry
2016 Toyota Prius v
2016 Volkswagen Jetta
2016 Volkswagen Passat
Midsize Luxury Cars TSP+
2016 Audi A3
2017 Audi A4
2016 BMW 2 series
2016 Lexus ES 350
2016 Volvo S60
2016 Volvo V60
Large Cars TSP+
2016 Toyota Avalon
Large Luxury Cars TSP+
2016 Acura RLX
2016 Audi A6; built after January 2015
2016 Hyundai Genesis
2016 Infiniti Q70; does not apply to V8 4-wheel-drive models
2016 Lexus RC
2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
2016 Volvo S80
Small SUVs TSP
2016 Buick Encore
2016 Nissan Rogue
Small SUVs TSP+
2016 BMW X1
2016 Fiat 500X; built after July 2015
2016 Honda CR-V
2016 Hyundai Tucson
2017 Kia Sportage
2016 Mazda CX-3
2016 Mazda CX-5
2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
2016 Subaru Forester
2016 Toyota RAV4
Midsize SUVs TSP
2016 Chevrolet Equinox
2016 GMC Terrain
2017 Kia Sorento 4-door SUV
Midsize SUVs TSP+
2016 Honda Pilot
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe; built after March 2016
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
2016 Kia Sorento 4-door SUV
2016 Nissan Murano
2016 Toyota Highlander
Midsize Luxury SUVs TSP+
2016 Acura MDX
2016 Acura RDX
2016 Audi Q5
2016 Infiniti QX60
2016 Lexus NX
2016 Lexus RX
2016 Lincoln MKX
2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
2016 Volvo XC60
2016 Volvo XC90
Large SUVs TSP+
2017 Audi Q7
Minivans TSP
2016 Honda Odyssey
2016 Kia Sedona
Large Pickups TSP
2016 Ford F-150 Crew cab pickup
2016 Ford F-150 Extended cab pickup
For more information about the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or its TSP and TSP+ awards, you can visit the organization’s website at http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/TSP-List. If you, or someone you know, has been injured in a collision and needs help with a personal injury claim, give Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group - Gore a call today at (404) 436-1529.