- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released its list of safest models for 2020, with 64 cars qualifying.
- IIHS factors in things like crashworthiness, headlights, and collision-prevention technology to choose which vehicles earn its Top Safety Pick awards.
- The Top Safety Pick Plus title, awarded to 23 vehicles this year, is reserved for cars that come with good-quality headlights as standard.
- Hyundai claims the most winners overall, while Mazda receives the most Top Safety Pick Plus awards of any brand.
- No pickup trucks or minivans made the list.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, otherwise known as IIHS, has released its yearly list of the safest new cars, awarding the title of Top Safety Pick to 64 vehicles for 2020. Twenty-three of those vehicles received the highest honor of “Top Safety Pick Plus,” and no pickup trucks or minivans made the list.
IIHS evaluates cars in terms of things like crashworthiness, safety technology, and headlights at its Virginia facility, rating US models alongside the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and giving out awards if they perform well enough. Automakers then paste those awards across their advertisements, as you surely already know.
IIHS generally uses four ratings – good, acceptable, marginal, and poor – and to qualify for Top Safety Picks, vehicles must receive a “good” rating across all six of its crash tests. They also need to offer available front-crash-prevention technology that’s satisfactory in both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian situations.
IIHS began evaluating headlights in 2016, and this year, it only awarded the Top Safety Pick Plus title to vehicles that come equipped with “good” or “acceptable” headlights as standard. Automakers often offer an array of headlights on different trims of the same model, giving lower-priced models headlights with IIHS’ worst ratings while higher ones get headlights with the best ratings.
Top Safety Picks still need to offer "good" or "acceptable" headlights as an option, but they don't have to be standard - meaning buyers can still get priced out of good visibility at night.
Scroll down to learn which 64 cars are the safest you can buy, according to IIHS. The 23 Top Safety Pick Plus award winners are listed first, followed by the 41 Top Safety Picks.
Top Safety Pick Plus Winners
Below are the 23 cars that earned the highest of IIHS' safety awards for 2020, the Top Safety Pick Plus.
In addition to crashworthiness and technology evaluations, winners of this award have to offer "good" or "acceptable" headlights as standard - not optional, like the Top Safety Pick winners can get away with.
Acura RDX
Audi A6
Cadillac XT6
This only applies to Cadillac XT6 models built after October 2019.
Genesis G70
This only applies to Genesis G70 models built after December 2019.
Genesis G80
Honda Insight
Hyundai Nexo
Lexus ES
Lexus NX
Mazda 3 hatchback
Mazda 3 sedan
Mazda 6
Mazda CX-3
Mazda CX-5
This only applies to Mazda CX-5 models with available front crash prevention.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan
This only applies to Mercedes C-Class sedan models with available front crash prevention.
Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
This only applies to Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class models built after July 2019, with available front crash prevention.
Nissan Maxima
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
Subaru Forester
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
This only applies to Subaru Outback models built after October 2019.
Tesla Model 3
Toyota Camry
Top Safety Pick Award Winners
The cars that follow still won an IIHS Top Safety Pick title, with their caveat being that "good" or "acceptable" headlights are only optional - not standard.
If you're considering one of the models below, pay attention to trim levels and use that model's individual IIHS rating page to determine which headlights you're getting, and whether they'll be safe enough for you.
Audi A7
Audi Q8
BMW 3 Series
Chevrolet Equinox
Ford Edge
Ford Escape
Honda Accord
Honda Civic coupe
Honda Civic hatchback
This does not apply to the Honda Civic Type R variant, according to IIHS.
Honda Civic sedan
Honda CR-V
Hyundai Elantra
This only applies to Hyundai Elantra models with available front crash prevention.
Hyundai Elantra GT
This only applies to Hyundai Elantra GT models with available front crash prevention.
Hyundai Kona
This only applies to Hyundai Kona models with available front crash prevention.
Hyundai Palisade
Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai Sonata
Hyundai Tucson
This only applies to Hyundai Tucson models with available front crash prevention.
Hyundai Veloster
This only applies to Hyundai Veloster models with available front crash prevention.
Kia Forte
This only applies to Kia Forte models with available front crash prevention.
Kia Sorento
This only applies to Kia Sorento models with available front crash prevention.
Kia Soul
This only applies to Kia Soul models with available front crash prevention.
Kia Sportage
Kia Stinger
This only applies to Kia Stinger models with available front crash prevention.
Kia Telluride
Lexus RX
Lexus UX
Lincoln Corsair
Mazda CX-9
This only applies to Mazda CX-9 models with available front crash prevention.
Nissan Altima
This only applies to Nissan Altima models with available front crash prevention.
Subaru Ascent
Subaru Crosstrek
This only applies to Subaru Crosstrek models with available front crash prevention.
Subaru Impreza five-door
This only applies to Subaru Impreza five-door models with available front crash prevention.
Subaru Impreza sedan
This only applies to Subaru Impreza sedan models with available front crash prevention.
Subaru WRX
This only applies to Subaru WRX models with available front crash prevention.
Toyota Corolla hatchback
Toyota Corolla sedan
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan
Volvo S60
Volvo XC40
