48 Vehicles Earn Top Safety Pick+ Rating From IIHS

Nearly 50 vehicles this year earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), despite the tougher criteria for 2016.

The Top Safety Pick+ rating is the highest possible award for safety in the U.S. An additional 13 models qualified for the second-best Top Safety Pick.

“We asked auto manufacturers to do more this year to qualify for our safety awards, and they delivered,” said Adrian Lund, IIHS president, in a press release.

To qualify for both awards, vehicles needed a good rating the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests, as well offer a front crash prevention system as standard or optional equipment. Cars that get the “plus” designation have superior front crash prevention systems with automatic braking capabilities.

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Living up to its reputation, Volvo has been awarded Top Safety Pick+ ratings for five of its vehicles, the most awards among any luxury car company. The Volvo XC90, S80, S60, V60 and XC60 were all given the Top Safety Pick+ rating.

Here are all of the cars that got a Top Safety Pick+ rating: Scion iA, Acura ILX, Lexus CT200h, Mazda3 (sedan and hatchback), Subaru Crosstrek, Subaru Impreza, Subaru WRX, Volkswagen Golf (four-door hatch and Sportwagen), VW GTI, Chrysler 200, Honda Accord (sedan and coupe), Mazda6, Nissan Maxima, Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius V, VW Jetta, VW Passat, Audi A3, BMW 2 Series, Lexus ES, Volvo XC90, S80, S60, V60 and XC60, Toyota Avalon, Acura RLX, Audi A6, Hyundai Genesis, Infiniti Q70, Lexus RC, Mercedes E-Class, Fiat 500X, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Honda Pilot, Nissan Murano, Acura MDX and RDX, Audi Q5, and Lexus NX.

And the cars that got the second-best Top Safety Pick rating: Chevrolet Sonic, Kia Soul, Nissan Sentra, Chevrolet Malibu, Buick Encore, Nissan Rogue, Chevrolet Equinox, GMD Terrain, Kia Sorento, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Honda Odyssey, Kia Sedona, and Ford F-150 SuperCrew.