2019 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

2019-20 Hyundai Accent 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights

Small cars

Top Safety Pick+

2019-20 Hyundai Elantra 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after September 2018

Top Safety Pick

2019-20 Hyundai Elantra GT 4-door hatchback

with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights

Top Safety Pick

2019 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid 4-door hatchback

with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights

Top Safety Pick

2019 Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid 4-door hatchback

with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after July 2018

Top Safety Pick

2019-20 Hyundai Veloster 2-door hatchback

with specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after August 2018

Midsize cars

Top Safety Pick+

2019 Hyundai Sonata 4-door sedan

with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights

Small SUVs

Top Safety Pick+

2019-20 Hyundai Kona 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights

Top Safety Pick+

2019-20 Hyundai Tucson 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after March 2019

Midsize SUVs

Top Safety Pick+

2020 Hyundai Palisade 4-door SUV

with specific headlights

Top Safety Pick+

2019-20 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV

with specific headlights

Top Safety Pick

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL 4-door SUV

with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights

Midsize luxury SUVs

Top Safety Pick+

2019-20 Hyundai Nexo 4-door SUV

applies only to vehicles built after June 2019

2019 criteria

Top Safety Pick +
  • G Good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests
  • AdvancedSuperior Advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention
  • G Good headlight rating

Top Safety Pick +
  • G Good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests
  • AGAcceptable or good rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test
  • AdvancedSuperior Advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention
  • AGAcceptable or good headlight rating

Other years