2018 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+
2018 Kia Rio 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after June 2018
Small cars
Top Safety Pick+
2019 Honda Insight 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Hyundai Elantra 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after December 2017
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Kia Forte 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights; applies only to sedans
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Kia Niro hybrid 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Kia Soul 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Subaru Crosstrek 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after April 2018
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Subaru Impreza 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 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
Midsize cars
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Hyundai Sonata 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after September 2017
Top Safety Pick+
2018-19 Kia Optima 4-door sedan
with specific headlights (2018-19 models); with optional front crash prevention (2018 models);
applies only to vehicles built after January 2018
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Subaru Legacy 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Subaru Outback 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after September 2017
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Toyota Camry 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Large cars
Top Safety Pick+
2019 Toyota Avalon 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Large luxury cars
Top Safety Pick+
2018 BMW 5 series 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Genesis G80 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Genesis G90 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Lexus RC 2-door coupe
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Lincoln Continental 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 4-door sedan
with specific headlights; applies only to 4-door sedans
Small SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Hyundai Kona 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after May 2018
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Mazda CX-5 4-door SUV
with specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after March 2018
Midsize SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2019 Honda Pilot 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after June 2017
Top Safety Pick+
2019 Kia Sorento 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2019 Subaru Ascent 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Midsize luxury SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2019 Acura RDX 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 BMW X3 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
applies only to vehicles built after March 2018
2018 criteria
To qualify for 2018 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 acceptable or good rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test. It also must earn an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention and a good headlight rating.
To qualify for 2018 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. It also must earn 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.