Toyota, Honda, VW vehicles rate highest in crash tests

Japanese automakers Toyota and Honda, along with Germany’s Volkswagen, are the firms whose vehicles rate highest in crash tests, according to studies performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and released on Thursday.

IIHS said that a total of 48 vehicle models obtained the institute’s highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating in crashworthiness tests.

Of the 48 models receiving the top rating in crash and rollover tests, nine are made by Toyota (including the Scion, Lexus and Toyota models), eight are made by Honda (including Acura and Honda) and seven are made by VW (Audi and Volkswagen). In addition, six Subaru models received the top honors.

The only U.S. model to receive the top IIHS rating was the Chrysler 200. Fiat Chrysler also managed to have one of its vehicles the Fiat 500X place among the top contenders.

IIHS emphasized that, for the first time this year, the vehicles obtaining the top ranking had to pass a new frontal impact test that measured crashworthiness in impacts on one of the front corners as well as the performance of frontal impact prevention systems.

The 48 top vehicles have frontal crash prevention systems that enable the car to break automatically.

“We asked auto manufacturers to do more this year to qualify for our safety awards, and they delivered,” said IIHS president Adrian Lund. “For the first time, a good rating in the challenging small overlap front crash test is a requirement to win, in addition to an available front crash prevention system. How that system rates determines whether a vehicle will earn Top Safety Pick+ or Top Safety Pick.”

The tests carried out by the IIHS also evaluated side impacts, roof strength and seat and head restraint performance.

The IIHS says its testing shows that the 48 safest vehicles, by categories, are:

Minicars: Scion iA.

Compact cars: Acura ILX, Lexus CT 200h, Mazda 3, Subaru Crosstrek, Subaru Impreza, Subaru WRX, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen GTI.

Midsize cars: Chrysler 200, Honda Accord 4door and 2door, Mazda 6, Nissan Maxima, Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius v, Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Passat.

Midsize luxury and nearluxury cars: Audi A3, BMW 2, Lexus ES, Volvo S60, Volvo V60.

Large family cars: Toyota Avalon.

Large luxury cars: Acura RLX, Audi A6, Hyundai Genesis, Infiniti Q70, Lexus RC, MercedesBezn E, Volvo S80.

Small SUVs: Fiat 500X, Honda CRV, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX5, Mitsubishi Outlander, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4.

Midsize SUVs: Honda Pilot, Nissan Murano.

Midsize luxury SUVs: Acura MDX, Acura RDX, Audi Q5, Lexus NX, Volvo XC60, Volvo XC90.