2021 Top Safety Picks
Vehicles that perform best in our evaluations qualify for Top Safety Pick, which has been awarded since the 2006 model year, or Top Safety Pick+, which was inaugurated in 2013.
These awards identify the best vehicle choices for safety within size categories during a given year. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford more protection than smaller, lighter ones. Thus, a small car that qualifies for an award might not protect its occupants as well as a bigger vehicle that doesn't earn the award.
Small cars
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Honda Civic 4-door hatchback
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Honda Civic 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2021 Honda Civic 4-door hatchback
with specific headlights and does not apply to Type R performance variant
Top Safety Pick
2021 Honda Civic 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Honda Insight 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Hyundai Elantra 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Hyundai Veloster 2-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Kia Forte 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Kia Soul 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mazda 3 4-door hatchback
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mazda 3 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Nissan Sentra 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Subaru Crosstrek 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid 4-door wagon
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Subaru Impreza 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Subaru Impreza 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Subaru WRX 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Toyota Corolla 4-door hatchback
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Toyota Corolla 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Midsize cars
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Honda Accord 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Hyundai Sonata 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Kia K5 4-door sedan
built after November 2020
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mazda 6 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Nissan Altima 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Nissan Maxima 4-door sedan
applies only to vehicles built after November 2020
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Subaru Legacy 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Subaru Outback 4-door wagon
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Toyota Camry 4-door sedan
Midsize luxury cars
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Acura TLX 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Audi A4 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Audi A5 Sportback 4-door hatchback
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 BMW 2 series Gran Coupe 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
applies only to vehicles built after December 2020
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 BMW 3 series 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Lexus ES 350 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Lexus ES 350 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Lexus IS 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 4-door sedan
built after January 2021 with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Tesla Model 3 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Volvo S60 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Volvo S60 Recharge 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Volvo V60 4-door wagon
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Volvo V60 Cross Country 4-door wagon
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Volvo V60 Recharge 4-door wagon
Large cars
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Kia Stinger 4-door hatchback
Top Safety Pick
2021 Kia Stinger 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Volkswagen Arteon 4-door hatchback
with specific headlights
Large luxury cars
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi A6 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi A6 allroad 4-door wagon
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi A7 4-door hatchback
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Genesis G70 4-door sedan
applies only to vehicles built after June 2021
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Genesis G70 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Genesis G80 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Genesis G90 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 4-door sedan
built after November 2020 with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Volvo S90 4-door sedan
applies only to vehicles built after September 2020
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Volvo S90 Recharge 4-door sedan
applies only to vehicles built after September 2020
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Volvo V90 4-door wagon
applies only to vehicles built after September 2020
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country 4-door wagon
applies only to vehicles built after September 2020
Small SUVs
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Buick Encore GX 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Chevrolet Equinox 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Ford Bronco Sport 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2021 Ford Escape 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Honda CR-V 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Hyundai Kona 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Hyundai Tucson 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2021 Hyundai Tucson 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Hyundai Venue 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Kia Seltos 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after August 2020
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Kia Sportage 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Lexus UX 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Lincoln Corsair 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mazda CX-3 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mazda CX-30 4-door SUV
built after September 2020
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mazda CX-5 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Mitsubishi Outlander 4-door SUV
built after June 2021
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Nissan Rogue 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Subaru Forester 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2021 Toyota C-HR 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Toyota RAV4 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Toyota Venza 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Volvo XC40 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Volvo XC40 Recharge 4-door SUV
Midsize SUVs
Top Safety Pick
2021 Chevrolet Traverse 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Ford Edge 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Ford Explorer 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Hyundai Palisade 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV
built after July 2021
Top Safety Pick
2021 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Kia Sorento 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Kia Telluride 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mazda CX-9 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Nissan Murano 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Subaru Ascent 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Toyota Highlander 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Volkswagen ID.4 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2021 Volkswagen Tiguan 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Midsize luxury SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Acura MDX 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Acura RDX 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi Q5 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi Q5 Sportback 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2022 BMW X5 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Cadillac XT6 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Genesis GV70 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Genesis GV80 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Hyundai Nexo 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Lexus NX 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Lexus RX 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Lincoln Aviator 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Lincoln Nautilus 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
applies only to vehicles built after March 2021
Top Safety Pick
2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Volvo XC60 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Volvo XC60 Recharge 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Volvo XC90 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Volvo XC90 Recharge 4-door SUV
Large SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi e-tron 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Audi e-tron Sportback 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Audi Q8 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Minivans
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Chrysler Pacifica Minivan
applies only to vehicles built after September 2021
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Honda Odyssey Minivan
Top Safety Pick
2022 Kia Carnival Minivan
built after March 2021 and with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Toyota Sienna Minivan
Small pickups
Top Safety Pick
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Crew cab pickup
with specific headlights
Large pickups
Top Safety Pick
2021 Ford F-150 Crew cab pickup
with specific headlights
applies only to vehicles built after June 2021
Top Safety Pick
2021 Ford F-150 Extended cab pickup
with specific headlights
applies only to vehicles built after June 2021
Top Safety Pick
2021 Ram 1500 Crew cab pickup
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
2021 criteria
Top Safety Pick +
- G Good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests
- AdvancedSuperior Advanced or superior rating for available front crash prevention — vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations
- AGAcceptable or good headlights standard
Top Safety Pick
- G Good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests
- AdvancedSuperior Advanced or superior rating for available front crash prevention — vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations
- AGAcceptable or good headlights available