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 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 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
2022 Toyota Corolla 4-door hatchback
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Toyota Corolla 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Toyota Corolla 4-door hatchback
with specific headlights
Midsize cars
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Honda Accord 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2021 Hyundai Sonata 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Kia K5 4-door sedan
built after November 2020
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mazda 6 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Nissan Altima 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021 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+
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 Audi A6 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Audi A6 allroad 4-door wagon
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Audi A7 4-door hatchback
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Genesis G70 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2021 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 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 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 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 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 Kia Sorento 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Kia Telluride 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Mazda CX-9 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 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+
2021 Cadillac XT6 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 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 Audi e-tron 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Audi e-tron Sportback 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Audi Q8 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Minivans
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 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
Large pickups
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, 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, 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