2017 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
2017 Acura ILX 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2017 Chevrolet Bolt 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Chevrolet Volt 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2017 Honda Civic 2-door coupe
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2017 Honda Civic 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2017 Honda Civic 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017-18 Hyundai Elantra 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights; applies only to sedans;
applies only to vehicles built after March 2016
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Hyundai Elantra GT 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after May 2017
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Kia Forte 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after March 2017
Top Safety Pick
2017 Lexus CT 200h 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Mazda 3 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Mazda 3 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2017 Mini Countryman 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2017 Nissan Sentra 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Subaru Crosstrek 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after October 2017
Top Safety Pick
2017 Subaru Crosstrek 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017-18 Subaru Impreza 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2017-18 Subaru Impreza 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Subaru WRX 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2017 Subaru WRX 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Toyota Corolla 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Toyota Prius 4-door hatchback
applies only to vehicles built after August 2016
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Toyota Prius Prime 4-door hatchback
Top Safety Pick
2017 Volkswagen Golf 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2017 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2017 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2017 Volkswagen GTI 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention
2017 criteria
To qualify for 2017 Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests, as well as an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.
To qualify for 2017 Top Safety Pick+, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests, as well as an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention and an acceptable or good headlight rating.
Vehicles with optional front crash prevention qualify for either award only when equipped with the technology.