What are the highest crash safety ratings for passenger vehicles?

I’m interested in buying a new car. Safety is high on my priority list, but I don’t know anything about crash safety ratings. What are the highest safety ratings for passenger vehicles?

Eric Schad · Updated on Mar 20, 2023

Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.

The two official bodies that come up with safety ratings for passenger vehicles are the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Both of these organizations assess crash tests to determine

vehicles’ scores

.

The highest crash safety ratings for passenger vehicles are:

A 5-star rating from

A Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS

In addition to crash tests, the IIHS rating also includes an assessment of:

Headlights

Head restraints and seats

Roof strength

Advanced safety features and driver-assist safety features

And in case you’re wondering, only about 10 cars each year get both a 5-star NHTSA rating and a Top Safety Pick+ rating. Here are a few that achieved this feat recently:

Audi A6

Honda Insight

Lexus ES

Mazda Mazda3

Mazda Mazda6

Nissan Maxima

Tesla Model 3

Toyota Camry

Even if you buy one of the cars on this list, you still need proper car insurance to legally get behind the wheel. That’s when

can help.

Jerry is a licensed broker and insurance comparison tool that collects quotes from over 50 top-rated insurers in minutes. After you find a great rate, Jerry can help you buy new insurance and cancel your old policy. Users save an average of $887 per year.

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What is an NHTSA safety rating?

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