Car Safety Ratings

In November 2008 the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety picked thirty four 2008 car models to win its third annual Top Safety Pick award.  This award recognizes car designs that provide for the best protection in front, side and rear crashed based on a series of safety tests the institute performs.

Safe Cars

In this publication, we're going to provide you with that list along with some information from the federal government and their top rated cars in term of safety.  Winners this year include thirteen cars, seventeen sports utility vehicles (SUVs), and three minivans and one truck.

As consumers we should expect the cars we drive to deliver to us at least two benefits.  The first is to reliably moving us across the roadways.  The second is that a car should be a safe one to drive.  In this instance safety includes both performance and protection.

Avoiding Accidents

In terms of safe performance, we're talking about optional or standard equipment on cars that result in the car being able to hold the road and help drivers to avoid accidents.  We talk about these car safety features at the end of this article.

Protecting Drivers and Passengers

In terms of protection, we're talking about how well an automobile is able to protect those riding in the vehicle.  In other words does the car's design help to prevent passengers in the vehicle from sustaining serious injuries?

It is these two elements that are important when designing a safe car.  In fact, if a car could be designed in such as way as to avoid accidents in the first place then manufacturers wouldn't have to worry so much about protecting passengers involved in accidents.

Safety Ratings of Cars

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is an organization dedicated to reducing the losses from highway accidents.  The institute was established by automobile insurance companies that were interested in taking a scientific approach to reducing the loss of life and property on the roadways of America.

Top Safety Pick Awards

Based on the protocol developed by the Institute, 2008 model cars were tested and rated to develop a Top Safety Pick award.  In 2007, the winners were to be chosen from four groups - small, midsize and large cars plus minivans.  In 2008, the institute added pick-up trucks for the first time.  The following lists of cars are considered the safest cars on the road today based on the findings of the Institute.

Large Cars Ratings

There were four large cars that earned a top safety pick in 2008:

• Audi A6
• Ford Taurus (with optional electronic stability control)
• Mercury Sable (with optional electronic stability control)
• Volvo S80

Midsize Cars Ratings

In 2008, there were only five midsize cars that earned this award, up from three of the top safety pick awards in 2007:

• Audi A3
• Audi A4
• Honda Accord
• Saab 9-3
• Subaru Legacy (with optional electronic stability control)

Midsize Convertibles

This year we also saw two convertibles added to the list.

• Saab 9-3
• Volvo C70

Small Cars

In the 2008 model year we also saw a small car make the list of safest cars for the first time:

• Subaru Impreza (with optional electronic stability control)

Minivan Ratings

This year we add a third minivan to the list:

• Honda Odyssey
• Hyundai Entourage
• Kia Sedona

Sports Utility Vehicles

In 2008, the list of SUVs was compressed to include all vehicles - in earlier years it was broken down into two categories - luxury and midsize:

Midsize SUVs

• Acura MDX
• Acura RDX
• BMW X3
• BMW X5
• Ford Edge
• Ford  Taurus X
• Honda Pilot
• Hyundai Santa Fe
• Hyundai Veracruz (built after August 2007)
• Lincoln MKX
• Mercedes M class
• Saturn VUE (built after December 2007)
• Subaru Tribeca
• Toyota Highlander
• Volvo XC90

Small SUVs

The small SUV list remains unchanged from last year:

• Honda CR-V
• Subaru Forester (with optional electronic stability control)

Large Pickup Truck

• Toyota Tundra

As mentioned earlier, this year's winners list includes a pickup truck for the first time.

Car Safety Testing

The insitute evaluates a cars safety performance based on frontal offset impacts at 40 mph, a side impact test and two rear impacts at 20 mph.  Injury is determined by examining two dummies, one in the driver's side and a second in the rear seat behind the driver.  As mentioned, the Insititute is focused on providing a scientific approach to evaluating cars for safety.

Government Vehicle Safety Ratings

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also publishes a list of cars with excellent safety ratings.  In fact, they've even got a database that you do a search based on make and model year.  The NHTSA evaluates cars and light trucks in three areas - frontal, side and rollover ratings.

The following tables show those 2007 vehicles earning top ratings (five stars) from the NHTSA.  The first table is for front impact testing, the second table is for side impact testing, and the final table includes those vehicles achieving five stars on both tests.

Highest Rated Vehicles in Front Impact Testing

The following tables show those 2007 vehicles earning top ratings (five stars) from the NHTSA in their front impact test for both front seat driver and passenger.  A five star rating indicates a 10% or less chance of serious injury.

• Acura RL 4-DR. w/SAB
• Acura TL 4-DR. w/SAB
• Buick LaCrosse 4-DR w/SAB
• Buick Lucerne 4-DR. w/SAB
• Chevrolet Aveo 5-DR. Hatchback w/SAB
• Chevrolet Impala 4-DR w/SAB
• Chevrolet Malibu 4-DR w/SAB
• Chevrolet Malibu Maxx 5-DR w/SAB
• Chevrolet Monte Carlo 2-DR.
• Chevrolet Monte Carlo 2-DR. w/ SAB
• Chrysler 300 4-DR
• Chrysler Sebring 4-DR. w/SAB
• Dodge Caliber 4-DR. w/SAB
• Dodge Charger 4-DR.
• Ford Crown Victoria 4-DR. w/SAB
• Ford Crown Victoria 4-DR.
• Ford Five Hundred 4-DR.
• Ford Five Hundred 4-DR. w/SAB
• Ford Mustang 2-DR
• Honda Accord 4-DR. w/SAB
• Honda Accord 2-DR. w/SAB
• Honda Accord Hybrid 4-DR w/SAB
• Honda Civic 4-DR. w/SAB
• Honda Civic 2-DR. w/SAB
• Honda Civic CNG 4-DR. w/SAB (Compressed Natural Gas)
• Honda Civic Hybrid 4-DR. w/SAB
• Honda Fit 4-DR. w/SAB
• Hyundai Accent 4-DR. w/SAB
• Hyundai Elantra 4-DR. w/SAB
• Hyundai Sonata 4-DR w/SAB
• Kia Optima 4-DR w/SAB
• Kia Rondo 4-DR. w/SAB
• Kia Spectra 4-DR w/SAB
• Kia Spectra 5-DR w/SAB
• Lexus ES350 w/SAB
• Lincoln Town Car 4-DR. w/SAB
• Mazda6 4-DR. w/SAB
• Mazda6 Wagon w/SAB
• Mazda6 5-DR. Hatchback w/SAB
• Mercury Grand Marquis 4-DR.
• Mercury Grand Marquis 4-DR. w/SAB
• Mercury Montego 4-DR
• Mercury Montego 4-DR w/SAB
• Mitsubishi Lancer 4-DR.
• Nissan Altima 4-DR. w/SAB
• Nissan Sentra 4-DR.w/SAB
• Saab 9-5 4-DR. w/SAB
• Saab 9-5 Wagon w/SAB
• Saturn Aura 4-DR. w/SAB
• Saturn Ion 4-DR.
• Saturn Ion 2-DR.
• Subaru Forester 4-DR. w/SAB
• Subaru Legacy 4-DR. w/SAB
• Subaru Legacy 4-DR. Wagon w/SAB
• Toyota Avalon 4-DR. w/SAB
• Toyota Camry 4-DR. w/SAB
• Toyota Camry Hybrid 4-DR. w/SAB
• Toyota Corolla 4-DR.  

Highest Rated Cars in Side Impact Testing

The following tables show those 2007 vehicles earning top ratings (five stars) from the NHTSA in their side impact test for both front and rear seat passengers.  A five star rating indicates a 10% or less chance of serious injury.

• Acura RL 4-DR. w/SAB
• BMW 3 Series 4-DR. w/SAB
• Dodge Caliber 4-DR. w/SAB
• Ford Crown Victoria 4-DR. w/SAB
• Ford Five Hundred 4-DR.
• Ford Five Hundred 4-DR. w/SAB
• Hyundai Sonata 4-DR w/SAB
• Kia Optima 4-DR w/SAB
• Lincoln Town Car 4-DR. w/SAB
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class 4-DR. w/SAB
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class 4-DR. w/SAB
• Mercury Grand Marquis 4-DR. w/SAB
• Mercury Montego 4-DR
• Mercury Montego 4-DR w/SAB
• Nissan Versa 4-DR w/SAB
• Nissan Versa Hatchback w/SAB
• Pontiac G6 4-DR w/SAB
• Pontiac G6 2-DR.w/SAB
• Saturn Aura 4-DR. w/SAB
• Subaru Forester 4-DR. w/SAB
• Subaru Legacy 4-DR. w/SAB
• Subaru Legacy 4-DR. Wagon w/SAB
• Toyota Avalon 4-DR. w/SAB
• Toyota Camry 4-DR. w/SAB
• Toyota Camry Hybrid 4-DR. w/SAB
• Volkswagen GTI 4-DR. w/SAB
• Volkswagen Jetta 4-DR. w/SAB
• Volkswagen Rabbit 4-DR. w/SAB
• Volvo S40 4-DR. w/SAB
• Volvo S60 4-DR. w/SAB
• Volkswagen GTI 4-DR. w/SAB
• Volkswagen Jetta 4-DR. w/SAB
• Volkswagen Rabbit 4-DR. w/SAB
• Volvo S40 4-DR. w/SAB
• Volvo S60 4-DR. w/SAB

Highest Rated Cars in All Impact Testing

This final group of cars achieved five star ratings in all impact tests and for all passengers.

• Acura RL 4-DR. w/SAB
• Dodge Caliber 4-DR. w/SAB
• Ford Crown Victoria 4-DR. w/SAB
• Ford Five Hundred 4-DR.
• Ford Five Hundred 4-DR. w/SAB
• Hyundai Sonata 4-DR w/SAB
• Kia Optima 4-DR w/SAB
• Lincoln Town Car 4-DR. w/SAB
• Mercury Grand Marquis 4-DR. w/SAB
• Mercury Montego 4-DR
• Mercury Montego 4-DR w/SAB
• Saturn Aura 4-DR. w/SAB
• Subaru Forester 4-DR. w/SAB
• Subaru Legacy 4-DR. w/SAB
• Subaru Legacy 4-DR. Wagon w/SAB
• Toyota Avalon 4-DR. w/SAB
• Toyota Camry 4-DR. w/SAB
• Toyota Camry Hybrid 4-DR. w/SAB

Car Safety Features

If you're really trying to find a safe car to drive then you might also want to check out our article on Car Safety Features. There you'll find a lot of good information on the different types of safety equipment found in today's cars today the and the optional safety features you might want to purchase the next time you buy a new car.

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