Number Of Vehicles That Earn IIHS Top Safety Ratings Grows As Automakers Improve Headlights
The Hyundai Motor Group earned the most Top Safety Pick+ awards from the IIHS in 2022
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced today that it is awarding its 2022 Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards to 101 vehicles. That's an increase over last year's total of 90 winners, a feat the institute attributes to improving headlight technology.
Of the 101 top safety award winners, 65 earned the highest possible rating, a Top Safety Pick+, as compared to the 49 vehicles that earned the rating last year.
"We're excited to see more vehicles on this list in 2022," says IIHS President David Harkey. "Our awards make it easy for car buyers to find models that will protect them in a crash and increase the odds they'll never be in one. By shooting for TOP SAFETY PICK+, automakers are showing that they're committed to the same goal."
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The full list of winners can be found below, but the Hyundai Motor Group earned the most awards this year, with 11 vehicles getting the Top Safety Pick+ rating and another 10 earning the Top Safety Pick award. The Volkswagen Group earned three Top Safety Pick awards and another eight pluses, while Volvo had an impressive showing with 10 Top Safety Pick+ awards.
The Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Pacifica, and Kia Carnival, meanwhile, all earned the a Top Safety Pick+ rating, which compares favorably to last year, when only two minivans qualified for the safety awards. Pickup trucks also have been improving.
Last year, the Ram 1500 was the only truck eligible for either award, but this year there are four: the Ram 1500 crew cab, Hyundai Santa Cruz, and the Ford F-150 extended cab and crew cab.
All 101 winners had to earn "good" ratings in six IIHS crash tests and had to be available with front crash prevention systems that earn "advanced" or "superior" ratings in both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian tests. Moreover, one headlight system in the range must earn a "good" or "acceptable" rating. Those vehicles that earned a Top Safety Pick+ award, meanwhile, also had to have "good" or "acceptable" headlights as standard across all trims.
Indeed, improving headlights were among the biggest differences between this year's class of vehicles and last year's, the IIHS reports. Automakers also made their crash-prevention systems standard on more models, which helped.
The institute warns that next year's crop of Top Safety award winners may shrink, as it is adding some tests to address issues that continue to present dangers for drivers and pedestrians. An updated side crash test means it will be harder to pass, while a nighttime pedestrian crash prevention test seeks to save more pedestrian lives. Finally, only vehicles that come standard with "good" or "acceptable" headlights across all trims will be eligible for either top safety award.
"Manufacturers deserve congratulations for the steady improvements they've made since we last updated our award requirements, but with U.S. traffic fatalities expected to exceed 40,000 people in 2021, it's no time for anybody to rest on their laurels," says Harkey. "The high number of TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners shows that it's time to push for additional changes."
The Top Safety Pick+ winners are:Small cars
Honda Civic hatchback
Honda Civic sedan
Honda Insight
Mazda 3 hatchback
Mazda 3 sedan
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
Midsize cars
Honda Accord
Kia K5
Nissan Altima
Nissan Maxima
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Toyota Camry
Midsize luxury cars
Acura TLX
Lexus ES 350
Lexus IS
Tesla Model 3
Volvo S60
Volvo S60 Recharge
Volvo V60 Cross Country
Large cars
Kia Stinger
Large luxury cars
Audi A6
Audi A6 Allroad
Audi A7
Genesis G70 built after June 2021
Genesis G80
Genesis G90
Mercedes-Benz E-Class with optional front crash prevention
Small SUVs
Chevrolet Trailblazer
Ford Bronco Sport
Hyundai Tucson
Mazda CX-5
Mazda CX-30
Mitsubishi Outlander built after June 2021
Nissan Rogue
Volvo C40 Recharge
Volvo XC40
Volvo XC40 Recharge
Midsize SUVs
Ford Explorer
Hyundai Palisade
Hyundai Santa Fe built after July 2021
Mazda CX-9
Nissan Murano
Subaru Ascent
Toyota Highlander
Volkswagen ID.4
Midsize luxury SUVs
Acura MDX
Acura RDX
Audi Q5
Audi Q5 Sportback
Cadillac XT6
Genesis GV70
Genesis GV80
Hyundai Nexo
Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class with optional front crash prevention
Tesla Model Y
Volvo XC60
Volvo XC60 Recharge
Volvo XC90
Volvo XC90 Recharge
Large SUVs
Audi e-tron
Audi e-tron Sportback
Minivans
Chrysler Pacifica
Honda Odyssey
Toyota Sienna
The Top Safety Pick Winners are:Small cars
Hyundai Elantra
Kia Soul with optional front crash prevention
Nissan Sentra
Subaru Crosstrek with optional front crash prevention
Subaru Impreza hatchback with optional front crash prevention
Midsize cars
Hyundai Sonata
Midsize luxury cars
Audi A4
Audi A5 Sportback
BMW 2 series Gran Coupe
BMW 3 series
Large cars
Toyota Avalon
Small SUVs
Buick Encore GX
Ford Escape
Honda CR-V
Hyundai Venue
Kia Seltos
Kia Sportage with optional front crash prevention
Lexus UX
Lincoln Corsair
Toyota C-HR
Toyota Venza
Midsize SUVs
Ford Edge
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Kia Sorento
Kia Telluride
Midsize luxury SUVs
BMW X5
Lexus RX
Lincoln Aviator
Lincoln Nautilus
Mercedes-Benz GLC with optional front crash prevention
Large SUVs
Audi Q8
Minivans
Kia Carnival, built after March 2021
Small pickups
Hyundai Santa Cruz
Large pickups
Ford F-150 crew cab
Ford F-150 extended cab
Ram 1500 crew cab with optional front crash prevention
