It is common to hear car and truck commercials claim that their new vehicle received a top safety rating. They always follow these claims with statistics and test results, making their claims seem credible. You might wonder how easy it is to receive a top safety rating or where these ratings are even coming from. If you have wondered this in the past, then this article will help you understand the origin of these ratings and will give you a full list of 2014’s top safety rated cars.
What is IIHS?
The IIHS, or Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, provides safety tests and ratings for vehicles each year. In an attempt to encourage vehicle manufacturers to develop safer cars, “IIHS tests evaluate two aspects of safety: crashworthiness, how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash; and crash avoidance and mitigation, technology that can prevent a crash or lessen its severity.” The IIHS crash tests are conducted at the Vehicle Research Center in Ruckersville, VA, and help consumers pick the best models.
“Outside of automakers’ proving grounds, few places in the world are equipped for the range of tests that we conduct here. Now with the help of our insurance supporters, we are expanding the VRC so we can evaluate vehicle-based crash avoidance systems. Our goal is to encourage adoption of the most effective technologies.”
Safety Standards and Test Guidelines
The IIHS website said the following about how they test cars: “To determine crashworthiness, IIHS rates vehicles good, acceptable, marginal or poor, based on performance in five tests: moderate overlap front, small overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints. In the area of crash avoidance and mitigation, IIHS assigns vehicles with available front crash prevention systems ratings of basic, advanced or superior, based on the type of system and performance in track tests.”
- To qualify for 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests, as well as a good or acceptable rating in the small overlap front test.
- To qualify for 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK+, a vehicle must meet the TOP SAFETY PICK criteria, plus earn a basic, advanced, or superior rating for front crash prevention.
This year, the safety standards were tightened and the number of cars receiving awards dropped from around 130 in 2013, to 39 in 2014. IIHS President, Adrian Lund, said the following:
We’ve made it more difficult for manufacturers this year. Following a gradual phase-in, the small overlap crash is now part of our basic battery of tests, and good or acceptable performance should be part of every vehicle’s safety credentials. We also felt it was time to offer extra recognition to manufacturers that are offering a proven crash avoidance technology.
Finally, a Complete List of 2014’s Safety Awards
Minicars
- 2014 Chevrolet Spark (TSP)
Small Cars
- 2014 Dodge Dart (TSP)
- 2014 Ford Focus (TSP)
- 2014 Honda Civic 2-door (TSP)
- 2014 Honda Civic 4-door (TSP+)(Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Hyundai Elantra (TSP) (Applies only to sedan models)
- 2014 Mazda 3 (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models. Applies only to vehicles built after October 2013)
- 2014 Scion tC (TSP)
- 2014 Subaru Impreza (TSP) (Does not apply to WRX models)
- 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek (TSP)
- 2014 Toyota Prius (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models. Applies only to vehicles built after November 2013.)
Midsize Moderately Priced Cars
- 2014 Chrysler 200 (TSP) (Applies only to 4-door models)
- 2014 Dodge Avenger (TSP)
- 2014 Ford Fusion (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Honda Accord 2-door (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Honda Accord 4-door (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Kia Optima (TSP)
- 2014 Mazda 6 (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Nissan Altima (TSP)
- 2014 Subaru Legacy (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Subaru Outback (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Toyota Camry (TSP) (Applies only to vehicles built after December 2013)
- 2014 Volkswagen Passat (TSP)
Midsize Luxury/Near Luxury Cars
- 2014 Acura TL (TSP)
- 2014 Infiniti Q50 (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Lincoln MKZ (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Volvo S60) (TSP+)
Large Luxury Cars
- 2014 Acura RLX (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Volvo S80 (TSP+)
Small SUVs
- 2014 Mazda CX-5 (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models. Applies only to vehicles built after October 2013)
- 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (TSP)
- 2014 Subaru Forester (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
Midsize SUVs
- 2014 Toyota Highlander (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
Midsize Luxury SUVs
- 2014 Acura MDX (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
- 2014 Mercedes M class (TSP+) (Applies only to vehicles built after August 2013)
- 2014 Volvo XC60 (TSP+)
- 2014 Volvo XC90 (TSP)
Minivans
- 2014 Honda Odyssey (TSP+) (Applies only to optional front crash prevention models)
Pick Safety First
Hopefully this article has helped you see why and which cars are the safest on the road. At Good Guys Injury Law, we encourage you to always drive safely. However, we know that sometimes accidents happen that you can’t prevent, and in these cases, it is best to be in a vehicle that will keep you and your family safe. If you have been injured or experienced the loss of a loved one in an accident and need help dealing with insurance companies, please let us help you.
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