2016 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.

Minicars

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Mini Cooper 2-door hatchback

with optional front crash prevention, applies only to Hardtop 2-door models;
applies only to vehicles built after November 2015

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Scion iA 4-door sedan

Small cars

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Acura ILX 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Chevrolet Volt 4-door hatchback

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Honda Civic 2-door coupe

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Honda Civic 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Hyundai Elantra 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention, applies only to sedans;
applies only to vehicles built after March 2016

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Lexus CT 200h 4-door hatchback

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Mazda 3 4-door hatchback

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Mazda 3 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Nissan Sentra 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Subaru Crosstrek 4-door wagon

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Subaru Impreza 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Subaru WRX 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Toyota Prius 4-door hatchback

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Volkswagen Golf 4-door hatchback

with optional front crash prevention and applies only to 4-door models

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen 4-door wagon

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Volkswagen GTI 4-door hatchback

with optional front crash prevention and applies only to 4-door models

Midsize cars

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Chevrolet Malibu 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Chrysler 200 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Ford Fusion 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Honda Accord 2-door coupe

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Honda Accord 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Hyundai Sonata 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention;
applies only to vehicles built after October 2015

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Kia Optima 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Mazda 6 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Nissan Altima 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Nissan Maxima 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Subaru Legacy 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Subaru Outback 4-door wagon

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Toyota Camry 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Toyota Prius v 4-door wagon

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Volkswagen Jetta 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Volkswagen Passat 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Midsize luxury cars

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Audi A3 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Audi A4 4-door sedan

Top Safety Pick+

2016 BMW 2 series 2-door coupe

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Lexus ES 350 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Lincoln MKZ 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 4-door sedan

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Volvo S60 4-door sedan

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Volvo V60 4-door wagon

Large cars

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Toyota Avalon 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Large luxury cars

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Acura RLX 4-door sedan

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Audi A6 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention;
applies only to vehicles built after January 2015

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Genesis G80 4-door sedan

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Hyundai Genesis 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Infiniti Q70 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention and does not apply to V8 4-wheel-drive models

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Lexus RC 2-door coupe

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 4-door sedan

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Volvo S80 4-door sedan

Small SUVs

Top Safety Pick+

2016 BMW X1 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Fiat 500X 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention
applies only to vehicles built after July 2015

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Honda CR-V 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Hyundai Tucson 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Kia Sportage 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Mazda CX-3 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Mazda CX-5 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Subaru Forester 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Toyota RAV4 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Midsize SUVs

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Honda Pilot 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention;
applies only to vehicles built after March 2016

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Kia Sorento 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Nissan Murano 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Toyota Highlander 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Midsize luxury SUVs

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Acura MDX 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Acura RDX 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Audi Q5 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016-17 Buick Envision 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Cadillac XT5 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Infiniti QX60 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Lexus NX 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Lexus RX 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Lincoln MKX 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class 4-door SUV

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Volvo XC60 4-door SUV

Top Safety Pick+

2016 Volvo XC90 4-door SUV

Large SUVs

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Audi Q7 4-door SUV

Minivans

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan

with optional front crash prevention
applies only to vehicles built after August 2016

Top Safety Pick+

2017 Kia Sedona minivan

with optional front crash prevention

2016 criteria

Top Safety Pick

To qualify for 2016 Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn good ratings in five crashworthiness tests — driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraints — as well as a basic rating for front crash prevention.

Top Safety Pick +

To qualify for 2016 Top Safety Pick+, a vehicle must earn good ratings in those five crashworthiness tests and an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.

Vehicles with optional front crash prevention qualify for either award only when equipped with the technology.

Other years