The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) TOP SAFETY PICK award list is out, and car manufacturers faced stiffer requirements to earn honors in this 2024.
But while IIHS made award criteria tougher for 2024 by introducing revised crash tests and requiring manufacturers to meet higher standards in several areas, 71 models qualified this year, including 22 earning TOP SAFETY PICK+ status. By comparison, 48 models were named TOP SAFETY PICKs in 2023.
In its annual list, the IIHS announces which new models performed best in its evaluations. The list is organized by size and type on the IIHS website.
2024’s TOP SAFETY PICKs
The IIHS awarded winners in 12 categories, from small cars to large pickups.
Among carmakers, several manufacturers stood out:
- Hyundai Motor Group, which includes the Hyundai, Genesis and Kia brands, earned the most awards overall with 16—six TOP SAFETY PICK+ and 10 TOP SAFETY PICK selections.
- Toyota Motor Corp., which includes the Toyota and Lexus brands, has the next highest total with one TOP SAFETY PICK+ and 12 TOP SAFETY PICKs.
- Mazda earned the most TOP SAFETY PICK+ selections with five. The manufacturer also earned one TOP SAFETY PICK.
When it came to auto classification, TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards were bestowed to five models in each of the small SUV, midsize SUV and midsize luxury SUV classes. Additionally, 12 Midsize luxury SUVs earned TOP SAFETY PICK honors.
Four models in the small car class earned TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards, while two midsize cars and one large luxury car earned the distinction. No other class had one.
For the full list of winners and ratings, visit https://www.iihs.org/ratings/top-safety-picks
How Are TOP SAFETY PICKs Determined?
Each year, the IIHS, a nonprofit research and education organization, conducts tests to determine how vehicles fare in two aspects of safety: crashworthiness and crash avoidance/mitigation. It also evaluates other elements of vehicle safety, such as headlight ratings.
IIHS introduced several changes this year to its award criteria intended to encourage automakers to pursue higher levels of safety:
- A “good” rating in the side crash test is required for either a TOP SAFETY PICK or TOP SAFETY PICK+.
- Vehicles must earn “acceptable” or “good” in a revised version of the pedestrian front crash prevention evaluation to qualify for either award.
- Vehicles must earn “acceptable” or “good” in the updated moderate front overlap test, which added a second dummy seated behind the passenger, to qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK+ status.
- The driver-side and passenger-side evaluations were combined into a single rating.
Award winners must also have “good” or “acceptable” headlights on all trim levels.
Insurance for New—and Used—Cars
Car shopping doesn’t just mean kicking tires and taking test drives. It’s also an ideal time to examine your auto insurance options.
