2008 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
2009 Honda Civic 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2009 Mitsubishi Lancer 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2008-09 Scion xB 4-door wagon
Top Safety Pick
2008 Subaru Impreza 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2009 Volkswagen Rabbit 4-door hatchback
Midsize cars
Top Safety Pick
2008 Audi A3 4-door wagon
Top Safety Pick
2009 Ford Fusion 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2008 Honda Accord 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2009 Mercury Milan 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2008 Subaru Legacy 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2009 Volkswagen Passat 4-door sedan
Midsize luxury cars
Top Safety Pick
2008 Audi A4 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2008 Saab 9-3 2-door convertible
Top Safety Pick
2008 Saab 9-3 4-door sedan
Midsize convertibles
Top Safety Pick
2009 Volkswagen Eos 2-door convertible
Top Safety Pick
2008 Volvo C70 2-door convertible
Large cars
Top Safety Pick
2008 Ford Taurus 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2008 Mercury Sable 4-door sedan
Large luxury cars
Top Safety Pick
2009 Acura RL 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2008 Audi A6 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2008 Cadillac CTS 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2009 Lincoln MKS 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick
2008 Volvo S80 4-door sedan
Small SUVs
Top Safety Pick
2009 Ford Escape 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Honda CR-V 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Honda Element 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2009 Mazda Tribute 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2009 Mercury Mariner 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Mitsubishi Outlander 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008-09 Nissan Rogue 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Subaru Forester 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2009 Volkswagen Tiguan 4-door SUV
Midsize SUVs
Top Safety Pick
2008 Ford Edge 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2009 Ford Flex 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Ford Taurus X 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2009 Honda Pilot 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Honda Pilot 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Hyundai Veracruz 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2009 Nissan Murano 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Saturn VUE 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Subaru Tribeca 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Toyota Highlander 4-door SUV
Midsize luxury SUVs
Top Safety Pick
2008 Acura MDX 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Acura RDX 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 BMW X3 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 BMW X5 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Infiniti EX 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Lincoln MKX 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008-09 Mercedes-Benz M-Class 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008 Volvo XC90 4-door SUV
Large SUVs
Top Safety Pick
2008 Audi Q7 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008-09 Buick Enclave 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2009 Chevrolet Traverse 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008-09 GMC Acadia 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2008-09 Saturn Outlook 4-door SUV
Minivans
Top Safety Pick
2008 Honda Odyssey minivan
Top Safety Pick
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
Top Safety Pick
2008 Kia Sedona minivan
Small pickups
Top Safety Pick
2009 Toyota Tacoma crew cab pickup
Large pickups
Top Safety Pick
2008 Toyota Tundra extended cab pickup
2008 criteria
To qualify for 2008 Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the moderate overlap front, original side, and head restraint tests and must offer electronic stability control.