IIHS Ranks Safest Vehicles For 2022

Every year the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crashes dozens of vehicles to find out how safe they are. The group also tests crash prevention technology and headlight quality. Vehicles that perform well can earn a Top Safety Pick award or the top grade of Top Safety Pick +.

This year only 48 vehicles were given a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick + award.

"It is quite the drop from last year. Last year at this time, we had a little over 100 winners," says IIHS President David Harkey.

But it's not because cars have changed, it's because the IIHS has made the safety testing process more rigorous. For example, the side crash test now uses a bigger barrier that mimics the larger pick-ups and SUVs on the road today. Vehicles must also score well in both the daytime and nighttime front crash prevention tests for pedestrians. And models must have good or acceptable headlights.

"We do about a quarter of our driving at night in the U.S., yet that's when half of our fatalities occur. And so, it's really important to have good headlights that will help you recognize potential hazards or pedestrians or bicyclists at night and then be able to respond to them more quickly," Harkey says.

Among automakers the Toyota corporation, which includes Lexus, came out on top with 15 Top Safety awards. The Camry, Corolla, Tundra pickup truck and Lexus UX SUV were among the winners. Honda, which also owns Acura, was next with nine awards. And Mazda came in third with six awards.

"One of the things we do anticipate is we will add vehicles to this list as we test more vehicles and as automakers make changes to their vehicles," Harkey says.

Harkey also says car companies that didn't make the grade are already adapting to the more difficult tests and he anticipates more vehicles will earn Top Safety Picks next year.