2011 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
2011-12 Ford Fiesta 4-door hatchback
applies only to vehicles built after July 2010
Top Safety Pick
2011-12 Ford Fiesta 4-door sedan
applies only to vehicles built after July 2010
Small cars
Top Safety Pick
2012 Ford Focus 4-door sedan
Midsize cars
Top Safety Pick
2011-12 Ford Fusion 4-door sedan
Large cars
Top Safety Pick
2011-12 Ford Taurus 4-door sedan
Midsize SUVs
Top Safety Pick
2011-12 Ford Edge 4-door SUV
applies only to vehicles built after February 2011
Top Safety Pick
2011-12 Ford Explorer 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2011-12 Ford Flex 4-door SUV
Large pickups
Top Safety Pick
2011-12 Ford F-150 crew cab pickup
applies only to vehicles built after February 2011
2011 criteria
To qualify for 2011 Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests and must offer electronic stability control.