The Safest New Cars of 2023, According to IIHS
New, tougher crash tests mean there are half as many Top Safety Picks as last year
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released its annual list of cars with top scores in crash tests and other safety evaluations. Although the list is much shorter than in prior years, it’s for good reason: The tests are getting tougher. And that means the cars that meet the standards for being a Top Safety Pick are safer than ever.
Only 28 cars qualify for the highest achievement, a Top Safety Pick+ award, for the 2023 model year. In addition, 20 cars qualify for the Top Safety Pick award this year. That’s down from 101 total award-winning models last year and 90 models in 2021.
The main reasons for the drop, the IIHS says, are the addition of a tougher side impact crash test, a more comprehensive evaluation of automatic emergency braking (AEB), and new headlight requirements. These changes are designed to replicate real-world situations where crashes can take place.
As the IIHS tests vehicles throughout the year, more cars may be added to the list. According to Young, some models—including the Chrysler Pacifica and Cadillac CT6—haven’t yet completed all the tests necessary for a 2023 award. Either one or both of these vehicles could end up on the list later this year. “Depending on how it performs, it may still earn an award,” he says.
More models will likely earn Top Safety Pick+ status as the IIHS continues to raise the bar for the award, says Jennifer Stockburger, director of operations at CR’s auto test center. “Car manufacturers respond to tougher tests by designing new vehicles that can pass those tests,” she says. Manufacturers have been aware of the new side crash test since 2018, and models designed specifically with that test in mind are only now hitting the market.
Consumer Reports uses IIHS ratings as part of the safety component for our Overall Score, which also factors in road-test performance, reliability, and owner satisfaction.
Young says that shoppers who are interested in a vehicle that doesn’t appear on the list should first check out where it underperforms. In the case of headlights, buyers may be able to choose a higher trim level or optional feature that has better performance. If a vehicle comes up short in multiple categories, he says, “consider other options within the same class that provide a higher level of crashworthiness and crash avoidance performance.”
Below, you will find the full list of new cars, SUVs, and trucks that earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award for the 2023 model year. Consumer Reports also indicates whether a vehicle has been awarded a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ on CR’s car model pages.
Check out Consumer Reports’ list of the best cars of 2023 and learn which car brands make the best vehicles.
Top Safety Pick+ Award Winners
These vehicles must have Good ratings (the highest awarded by IIHS) in the driver- and passenger-side small-overlap front crash test and original moderate-overlap front crash test, and a Good rating in the updated side crash test. In addition to requiring standard-equipped Acceptable or Good ratings for headlights, which uses a different scale, they must also have an Advanced or Superior rating for daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention and an Advanced or Superior rating for nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention.
Small Car
Acura Integra
Midsized Cars
Subaru Outback
Toyota Camry (built after January 2023)
Large Luxury Car
Genesis G90
Small SUVs
Honda CR-V
Honda HR-V
Lexus UX
Subaru Solterra (built after October 2022)
Midsized SUVs
Hyundai Palisade
Kia Telluride
Nissan Pathfinder
Subaru Ascent
Toyota Highlander
Volkswagen ID.4
Midsized Luxury SUVs
Acura MDX
Acura RDX
Infiniti QX60
Lexus NX and NX Plug-in Hybrid
Lexus RX
Tesla Model Y
Volvo XC90 and XC90 Recharge
Minivans
Honda Odyssey
Toyota Sienna
Large Pickups
Rivian R1T
Toyota Tundra crew cab and extended cab
Top Safety Pick Award Winners
These vehicles had to earn Good IIHS ratings in the driver- and passenger-side small-overlap front crash test, Good ratings in the original moderate-overlap front crash test, and Acceptable or Good ratings in the updated side crash test. They must also have Acceptable or Good ratings for headlights and an Advanced or Superior rating for daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention.
Small Cars
Honda Civic sedan and hatchback (except Type R performance variant)
Mazda3 sedan and hatchback
Toyota Corolla sedan and hatchback
Midsized Cars
Hyundai Sonata (built after December 2022)
Subaru Legacy
Midsized Luxury Car
Lexus ES 350
Small SUVs
Mazda CX-30
Mazda CX-5
Mazda CX-50
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4 and RAV4 Prime
Toyota Venza
Midsized SUVs
Ford Explorer
Mazda CX-9
Midsized Luxury SUV
Lincoln Nautilus