2021 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.
Small cars
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Hyundai Elantra 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021 Hyundai Veloster 2-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Midsize cars
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Hyundai Sonata 4-door sedan
with specific headlights
Small SUVs
Top Safety Pick
2021 Hyundai Kona 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Hyundai Tucson 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2021 Hyundai Tucson 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2021-22 Hyundai Venue 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Midsize SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2021-22 Hyundai Palisade 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV
built after July 2021
Top Safety Pick
2021 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Midsize luxury SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2021 Hyundai Nexo 4-door SUV
Small pickups
Top Safety Pick
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz crew cab pickup
with specific headlights
2021 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 available front crash prevention — vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations
- AGAcceptable or good headlights standard
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 available front crash prevention — vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations
- AGAcceptable or good headlights available