Nearly 60 Car Models Named Top Safety Picks by the IIHS Testing This Year

Last week, the Euro NCAP summed up 2018 by announcing the top performers in the more challenging testing environment currently in effect and by crowing the new generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class the safest car tested this year.

Now it’s the turn of organizations across the ocean to announce what was what in 2018. On Wednesday, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) made public the numbers that sum up its activity for the past twelve months.

Of all of the cars crashed in 2018, the IIHS says 57 models qualified for the organization’s Top Safety Pick award, despite it too implementing stricter requirements for the year.

Of the 57, 30 got a + sign at the end of the distinction, meaning they got the highest rating for passenger-side protection in a small overlap front crash and have good-rated available headlights.

The rest of 27 passed the exam with an acceptable or higher rating in the newest IIHS crash test and the nighttime headlight evaluation.

Other than that, all 57 cars performed great in all five other evaluations made by the IIHS, including in the tougher passenger-side small overlap front test (which now requires a good rating) and the passenger-side test, which now needs an acceptable or good rating to be considered passed.

"We challenged manufacturers to provide the best possible protection in a range of crash scenarios and equip vehicles with an automatic emergency braking system to avoid crashes, as well as offer headlights that give drivers confidence when traveling at night," said in a statement IIHS-HLDI President David Harkey.

"Fifteen brands hit all the marks to give consumers shopping for a new car a wide variety of 2019 models to consider."

A more detailed look at IIHS's activity for the year can be found in the document attached below.