Small cars

About the awards and ratings

• To qualify for 2024 Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the small overlap front, original moderate overlap front and updated side tests. Acceptable or good headlights must come standard across all trim levels, and the vehicle must earn an acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention test.
• To qualify for 2024 Top Safety Pick+, a vehicle needs an acceptable or good rating in the updated moderate overlap front test instead of a good rating in the original test. The other criteria are identical to those for 2024 Top Safety Pick.
• The small overlap front rating is based on a 40 mph crash test in which 25% of the vehicle’s width on one side strikes a rigid barrier. The test is performed on both the driver and passenger sides, and the rating is equivalent to the lower of the two results.
• The moderate overlap front rating is based on a 40 mph crash test in which 40% of the vehicle’s width strikes a deformable barrier. In the original test, one dummy is seated in the driver seat, while the updated test also includes a second dummy seated behind the driver.
• The original side rating is based on a crash test in which an SUV-like barrier strikes the driver side of the vehicle at 31 mph. The updated side rating is based on the same type of crash at 37 mph with a heavier barrier.
• The headlight rating is based on the illumination provided by a vehicle’s headlights on straight roads and curves. Each rating applies to a specific headlight type.
• The vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention rating is based on trials in which the test vehicle approaches a passenger car target, a motorcycle target and an actual semitrailer from behind. Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking are tested at different speeds and with the targets in different positions.
• The pedestrian front crash prevention rating is based on tests involving dummies that move across or stand in the roadway. Automatic braking performance is tested at different speeds and, in the case of the nighttime scenarios, with the vehicle’s low-beam and high-beam headlights.
• The seat belt reminder rating is based on the timing, duration, volume and audio frequency of warnings triggered when occupants are unbelted while the vehicle is traveling above 6 mph.
• The child seat anchors (LATCH) rating is based on an ease-of-use evaluation of vehicle hardware for installing child restraints. This rating only applies to the specific trim level and seat type evaluated, indicated on the vehicle details page.

Small overlap front and moderate overlap front ratings should be compared only among vehicles of similar weight. The other ratings listed here can be compared across vehicle categories.