Vehicles Awarded IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards Skyrockets for 2015

9 years, 10 months ago - 26 December 2014, Autoblog
Vehicles Awarded IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards Skyrockets for 2015
By practically every measure, passenger vehicles in the US are continuing to get safer. With the year rapidly coming to an end, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is releasing its annual list tallying of the scores for the latest vehicles to see how they compare to last year.

Judging by the agency's evaluations, the numbers look quite positive.

According to the institute, 71 vehicles earned either the Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ rating so far in its testing for 2015. Among the latest winners, there have been 33 TSP+ awards and 38 TSP medalists. That's a healthy increase over the 22 TSP+ and 17 TSP grades in 2014.

The figures appear even more impressive when you consider that it keeps getting harder to earn the + designation. In the latest round of testing, a vehicle must offer some form of front crash prevention automatic braking to get the mark. Previously, just a warning to drivers was necessary.

This list also illustrates the ways that automakers adapt to new testing procedures. In 2013 there were 117 TSP ratings and 13 TSP+ awards. Then, the IIHS mandated that to be a safety pick, a model had to score Good in the institute's four crash tests, plus a Good or Acceptable in the small overlap front test. That brought a plunge in 2014 to just 17 TSP grades. With the numbers climbing again, companies apparently have deciphered how to perform better.

Some brands especially stood out on this year's list. The IIHS praised Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and Acura for offering standard front crash prevention systems on some models. Subaru received at least one of the awards for all seven of its models. Toyota also had seven, and the Honda brand did too – though the institute counts the two- and four-door versions of the Civic and Accord separately.

 

 The full list can be viewed, here.

 

   
Small 
overlap 
test
Front 
crash 
prevention
MINICARSTOP SAFETY PICKChevrolet Spark
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKHonda Fit
A
none
SMALL CARSTOP SAFETY PICK+Lexus CT 200h
built after September 2014
G
Advanced-3pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Mazda 3
G
Advanced-2pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Subaru Impreza
G
Superior-6pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Subaru XV Crosstrek
G
Superior-6pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Toyota Prius
A
Advanced-2pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKChevrolet Volt
A
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKDodge Dart
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKFord C-Max Hybrid
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKFord Focus
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKHonda Civic 2-door
G
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKHonda Civic 4-door
G
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKHyundai Elantra
sedan
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKKia Soul
G
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKMini Cooper Countryman
G
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKMitsubishi Lancer
except Ralliart and Evolution
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKScion FR-S
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKScion tC
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKSubaru BRZ
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKSubaru WRX
G
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKVolkswagen Golf
4-door
G
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKVolkswagen GTI
4-door
G
Basic-1pt
MIDSIZE MODERATELY 
PRICED CARS
TOP SAFETY PICK+Chrysler 200
G
Superior-5pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Mazda 6
A
Advanced-2pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Subaru Legacy
G
Superior-6pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Subaru Outback
G
Superior-6pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Toyota Camry
G
Advanced-4pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Toyota Prius v
G
Advanced-3pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKChevrolet Malibu
G
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKFord Fusion
A
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKHonda Accord 2-door
G
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKHonda Accord 4-door
G
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKHyundai Sonata
A
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKKia Optima
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKNissan Altima
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKVolkswagen Jetta
G
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKVolkswagen Passat
A
none
MIDSIZE LUXURY CARSTOP SAFETY PICK+Acura TLX
A
Superior-6pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Audi A3
G
Advanced-3pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+BMW 2 series
G
Advanced-4pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Infiniti Q50
A
Superior-6pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Volvo S60
G
Superior-5pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Volvo V60
G
Superior-5pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKLincoln MKZ
A
Basic-1pt
LARGE FAMILY CARTOP SAFETY PICKToyota Avalon
G
Basic-1pt
LARGE LUXURY CARSTOP SAFETY PICK+Acura RLX
G
Advanced-3pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Hyundai Genesis
G
Superior-6pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Infiniti Q70
except V-8 4WD
G
Superior-5pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Lexus RC
G
Advanced-4pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Mercedes-Benz E-Class
G
Superior-6pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Volvo S80
G
Superior-5pt
SMALL SUVsTOP SAFETY PICK+Honda CR-V
G
Superior-5pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Mazda CX-5
G
Advanced-2pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Mitsubishi Outlander
G
Advanced-3pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Subaru Forester
G
Superior-6pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKMitsubishi Outlander Sport
A
none
 TOP SAFETY PICKNissan Rogue
G
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKToyota RAV4
built after November 2014
G
none
MIDSIZE SUVsTOP SAFETY PICK+Toyota Highlander
A
Advanced-3pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKChevrolet Equinox
G
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKGMC Terrain
G
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKNissan Pathfinder
G
none
MIDSIZE LUXURY SUVsTOP SAFETY PICK+Acura MDX
G
Advanced-3pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Lexus NX
G
Advanced-4pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Mercedes-Benz M-Class
G
Superior-5pt
 TOP SAFETY PICK+Volvo XC60
G
Superior-5pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKInfiniti QX60
G
Basic-1pt
MinivansTOP SAFETY PICK+Toyota Sienna
A
Advanced-3pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKHonda Odyssey
G
Basic-1pt
 TOP SAFETY PICKKia Sedona
G
Basic-1pt