2016 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+
2016 Mini Cooper 2-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention, applies only to Hardtop 2-door models;
applies only to vehicles built after November 2015
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Scion iA 4-door sedan
Small cars
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Acura ILX 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2016 Chevrolet Sonic 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Chevrolet Volt 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Honda Civic 2-door coupe
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Honda Civic 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Hyundai Elantra 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention, applies only to sedans;
applies only to vehicles built after March 2016
Top Safety Pick
2016 Kia Soul 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Lexus CT 200h 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Mazda 3 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Mazda 3 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Nissan Sentra 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Subaru Crosstrek 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Subaru Impreza 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Subaru WRX 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Toyota Prius 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Volkswagen Golf 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention and applies only to 4-door models
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Volkswagen GTI 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention and applies only to 4-door models
Midsize cars
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Chevrolet Malibu 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2016 Chevrolet Malibu Limited 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and available only to fleets
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Chrysler 200 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Ford Fusion 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Honda Accord 2-door coupe
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Honda Accord 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Hyundai Sonata 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention;
applies only to vehicles built after October 2015
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Kia Optima 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Mazda 6 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Nissan Altima 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Nissan Maxima 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Subaru Legacy 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Subaru Outback 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Toyota Camry 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Toyota Prius v 4-door wagon
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Volkswagen Jetta 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Volkswagen Passat 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Midsize luxury cars
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Audi A3 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Audi A4 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2016 BMW 2 series 2-door coupe
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Lexus ES 350 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Lincoln MKZ 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Volvo S60 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Volvo V60 4-door wagon
Large cars
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Toyota Avalon 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Large luxury cars
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Acura RLX 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Audi A6 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention;
applies only to vehicles built after January 2015
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Genesis G80 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Hyundai Genesis 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Infiniti Q70 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and does not apply to V8 4-wheel-drive models
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Lexus RC 2-door coupe
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 4-door sedan
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Volvo S80 4-door sedan
Small SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2016 BMW X1 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2016 Buick Encore 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Fiat 500X 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
applies only to vehicles built after July 2015
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Honda CR-V 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Hyundai Tucson 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Kia Sportage 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Mazda CX-3 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Mazda CX-5 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Mitsubishi Outlander 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2016 Nissan Rogue 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Subaru Forester 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Toyota RAV4 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Midsize SUVs
Top Safety Pick
2016 Chevrolet Equinox 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2016 GMC Terrain 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Honda Pilot 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention;
applies only to vehicles built after March 2016
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Kia Sorento 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2016 Kia Sorento 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Nissan Murano 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Toyota Highlander 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Midsize luxury SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Acura MDX 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Acura RDX 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Audi Q5 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016-17 Buick Envision 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Cadillac XT5 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Infiniti QX60 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Lexus NX 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Lexus RX 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Lincoln MKX 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Volvo XC60 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2016 Volvo XC90 4-door SUV
Large SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Audi Q7 4-door SUV
Minivans
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan
with optional front crash prevention
applies only to vehicles built after August 2016
Top Safety Pick
2016 Honda Odyssey minivan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick+
2017 Kia Sedona minivan
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2016 Kia Sedona minivan
with optional front crash prevention
Large pickups
Top Safety Pick
2016-17 Ford F-150 crew cab pickup
with optional front crash prevention
Top Safety Pick
2016-17 Ford F-150 extended cab pickup
with optional front crash prevention
2016 criteria
To qualify for 2016 Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn good ratings in five crashworthiness tests — driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraints — as well as a basic rating for front crash prevention.
To qualify for 2016 Top Safety Pick+, a vehicle must earn good ratings in those five crashworthiness tests and an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.
Vehicles with optional front crash prevention qualify for either award only when equipped with the technology.