News

These Are the Safest Vehicles in 2023, IIHS Says

by Guillaume Rivard
Photo: IIHS

The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just released its list of the safest vehicles of 2023 and far fewer names appear on it than in previous years.

Why? Because the IIHS has strengthened its requirements for the Top Safety Pick+ and Top Safety Pick awards. Only 28 models earn the former this year compared to 65 in 2022 and 49 in 2021, while 20 are good enough to secure the latter compared to 36 and 41 in the last two years.

The biggest change to the criteria for both awards is the replacement of the original IIHS side crash test with the updated evaluation, which aims to address higher-speed collisions that continue to cause fatalities on North American roads. As we’ve previously reported, a lot of vehicles fail to achieve a satisfying score in this new test.

The IIHS also requires improved pedestrian crash prevention systems. For example, advanced or superior performance is needed in both the nighttime and daytime pedestrian tests to qualify for the top award. As for headlights, both awards now require acceptable or good headlights as standard across all trims. 

Top Safety Pick+

Acura Integra
Acura RDX
Acura MDX
Genesis G90
Honda CR-V
Honda HR-V
Honda Odyssey
Hyundai Palisade
Infiniti QX60
Kia Telluride
Lexus NX
Lexus NX 450h+
Lexus RX
Lexus UX
Nissan Pathfinder
Rivian R1T
Subaru Ascent
Subaru Outback
Subaru Solterra (Built after October 2022)
Tesla Model Y
Toyota Camry (built after January 2023)
Toyota Highlander
Toyota Sienna
Toyota Tundra (Double Cab)
Toyota Tundra (CrewMax Cab)
Volkswagen ID.4
Volvo XC90
Volvo XC90 Recharge

Top Safety Pick

Ford Explorer
Honda Civic
Honda Civic Hatchback (except Type R)
Hyundai Sonata
Lexus ES 350
Lincoln Nautilus
Mazda3
Mazda3 Sport
Mazda CX-5
Mazda CX-9
Mazda CX-30
Mazda CX-50
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Subaru Legacy
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Corolla Hatchback
Toyota RAV4
Toyota RAV4 Prime
Toyota Venza

“The number of winners is smaller this year because we’re challenging automakers to build on the safety gains they’ve already achieved,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “These models are true standouts in both crashworthiness and crash prevention.”

Keep in mind that some new vehicles have yet to be tested by the IIHS, but they could join the list later in 2023.

Further changes to the award criteria will be coming next year. Among others, the IIHS will require a good or acceptable rating in the updated moderate overlap front crash test, taking into account protection for second-row occupants.

Share on Facebook

More on the subject

News2023 Honda CR-V Loses Safety Features Due to Chip Shortage
While supply chain disruptions appear to be lessening across the auto industry, manufacturers continue to deal with a shortage of chips. These precious components, as you know, are essential to make a ton of systems and technologies work on new vehicles. Honda is the latest example, being forced to build …
NewsWatch: IIHS Reveals the Most Watched Crash Tests of 2022
Every year, the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) performs hundreds of crash tests to validate the safety of new vehicles hitting the road. It also crowns the safest models by handing out “Top Safety Pick” awards . It’s always interesting to see how a vehicle reacts during a …
NewsCompact Cars Get Mixed Reviews in New IIHS Side-Impact Test
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) last year implemented a new, tougher test to evaluate crashworthiness in lateral collisions. As it turned out, many compact SUVs and midsize SUVs didn’t get a passing grade. Now, compact cars are under the microscope, and the results are a mixed bag. In …
NewsThird of Midsize SUVs Fail IIHS’ New Side Crash Test
Following compact SUVs last fall, midsize SUVs were recently submitted to the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s new side crash test, which aims to address higher-speed collisions that continue to cause fatalities on North American roads. While the former failed miserably, how did their bigger counterparts perform? A lot …
NewsMost Midsize SUVs Fail to Adequately Protect Rear Passengers in a Crash
While larger vehicles tend to fare better in collisions with smaller vehicles, they still have a lot of room for improvement when it comes to protecting their occupants. As we reported last year, a third of midsize SUVs failed the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s new side crash test, …
NewsMost Small Cars Don’t Provide Good Protection for Rear Passengers
Sitting in the back of a small car not only means sacrificing a fair amount of space. It also increases the risk of injury in a collision. Of course, you probably knew that already, but the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently proved it with its updated moderate …
NewsMidsize Pickups Struggling With Rear-Seat Safety, Too
People sitting in the back of a compact car or midsize SUV are significantly more at risk of suffering injuries in a collision than those in the front row, but the same observation can also be made with pickups. That’s what the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found …
NewsIIHS Study Reveals the Deadliest Cars and Trucks on the Road
Small cars and muscle cars are by far some of the deadliest vehicles on the road in terms of driver death rate, according to a new study released by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). “We typically find that smaller vehicles have high driver death rates because they …