The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety today releases its list of Top Safety Picks – the 2012 model-year vehicles with the best crash-test ratings. The auto-safety research group, which is funded by the insurance industry, said 115 vehicles made the list this time around.
The results reflect efforts by car makers to strengthen the roofs of their vehicles to perform well in a roof-crush test that simulates the stress put on the roof in a rollover crash. The Institute added the roof test to its crash-test program that includes front, side and rear impact collisions. To get a top overall rating a vehicle has to perform well enough to receive the group’s best grade of “good” in the crash and in the roof test, reported The Wall Street Journal.
Every major car maker has at least one vehicle on the top-picks list and Toyota has the most with 15, including its Lexus luxury and Scion small-car brands. Of particular note is that the top-selling Camry sedan made the grade for the first time after the car maker changed the design of its seats and head-restraints to improve protection in rear-end crashes.
There are 18 new award winners on the list, and 97 vehicles that were winners in 2011 carry over for 2012. The top picks include 15 vehicles that are available as hybrids, and both the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt remain on the list from 2011. Fifteen of the winners are available as hybrids and the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf electrics carry over their awards from 2011.
Here is the full list of top-rated models by segment:
Minicars:
Fiat 500 built after July 2011
Ford Fiesta sedan & hatchback
Honda Fit
Toyota Yaris 4-dr hatchback
Small cars
Chevrolet Cruze, Sonic, Volt
Kia Soul
Lexus CT 200h
Mazda 3 sedan & hatchback
Mini Cooper Countryman
Mitsubishi Lancer
except Ralliart & Evolution
Nissan Cube, Juke, Leaf
Scion tC, xB, xD
Subaru Impreza except WRX
Toyota Corolla, Prius
Volkswagen Golf 4-dr
Volkswagen GTI 4-dr
Midsize moderately priced cars:
Audi A3
Buick Verano
Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen
Volkswagen Passat
Volvo C30
Midsize luxury near luxury cars:
Acura TL built after Sept. 2011
Ford Taurus
Toyota Avalon
Large luxury cars:
Audi A6
BMW 5 series except 4wd & V8
Cadillac CTS sedan
Hyundai Equus, Genesis
Infiniti M except M56x 4wd
Lincoln MKS
Mercedes E-Class sedan
Hyundai Tucson
Jeep Patriot
with optional side torso airbags
Kia Sportage
Subaru Forester
Volkswagen Tiguan
Midsize SUVs:
Chevrolet Equinox
Dodge Durango, Journey
Ford Edge, Explorer, Flex
Ford F-150 crew cab models
Honda Ridgeline
Toyota Tundra crew cab models
