The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named its winners of the 2017 Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick Plus awards. For these awards, the IIHS tests two areas of vehicle safety, 1) crashworthiness, which is how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash, and 2) crash avoidance and mitigation, which is the incorporation of technology that can prevent a crash or lessen its severity.
To qualify for the IIHS Top Safety Pick award, the vehicle model must earn “good” ratings in five crashworthiness tests (small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, head restraints) and “advanced” or “superior” ratings in front crash preventions with automatic breaking technology. This year, 44 vehicles earned the award.
To qualify for the IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus award, the vehicle must earn “good” ratings in the crashworthiness tests, “advanced” or “superior” ratings for front crash prevention, and - new this year – “good” or “acceptable” headlight ratings. IIHS toughened its criteria related to headlights after the group said it discovered large variations in government standards concerning on-road driving and headlight illumination. (According to the IIHS, 50% of traffic deaths occur at dawn, dusk, or at night, when headlights are critical to driving). This year, 38 vehicle models earned the Top Safety Pick Plus award.
2017 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK PLUS
Small cars
Chevrolet Volt
Hyundai Elantra (sedan only; built after March 2016)
Mazda 3 (4-door sedan | 4-door hatchback)
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Prius (built after August 2016)
Midsize cars
Honda Accord (4-door)
Mazda 6
Nissan Altima
Nissan Maxima
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Toyota Camry
Toyota Prius v
Volkswagen Jetta
Midsize luxury cars
Audi A4
Lexus ES 350
Volvo S60
Volvo V60
Large luxury cars
Genesis G80
Genesis G90
Lexus RC
Small SUVs
Mazda CX-3
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester (built after October 2016)
Toyota RAV4
Midsize SUVs
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe
built after March 2016
Midsize luxury SUVs
Acura MDX
Acura RDX
Audi Q5
Buick Envision
Lexus NX
Lexus RX
Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
Volvo XC60
Minivan
Chrysler Pacifica (built after August 2016)
Large pickup
Honda Ridgeline
2017 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK
Minicars
Mini Cooper Hardtop (2-door)
Toyota Yaris iA
Small cars
Acura ILX
Honda Civic (2-door)
Honda Civic (4-door)
Lexus CT 200h
Nissan Sentra
Subaru Crosstrek
Subaru WRX
Volkswagen Golf (4-door)
Volkswagen Golf Alltrack
Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen
Volkswagen GTI (4-door)
Midsize cars
Chevrolet Malibu
Chrysler 200
Ford Fusion
Honda Accord (2-door)
Hyundai Sonata
Kia Optima
Volkswagen Passat
Midsize luxury cars
Audi A3
BMW 2 series
Lincoln MKZ
Mercedes-Benz C-Class (4-door)
Large car
Toyota Avalon
Large luxury cars
Acura RLX
Audi A6
Infiniti Q70 (except V8 4-wheel drive models)
Volvo S90
Small SUVs
BMW X1
Fiat 500X
Hyundai Tucson
Kia Sportage
Midsize SUVs
GMC Acadia
Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
Kia Sorento
Nissan Murano
Nissan Pathfinder
Midsize luxury SUVs
Cadillac XT5
Infiniti QX60
Lincoln MKX
Volvo XC90
Large SUV
Audi Q7
Minivan
Kia Sedona
For more information about the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and its ratings, visit http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings. If you know someone who has been injured in a collision, or if you need help with a personal injury claim, give Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group - Gore a call today at (404) 436-1529.