A Guide to IIHS's Safest Cars of 2015 for the US Market

We also promised to deliver an equivalent list of vehicles sold in the US market, where two organizations conduct safety testing for new cars, IIHS and NHTSA.

Unlike the list that reviews vehicles marketed in Europe and the largest safety organization of this continent, the IIHS and NHTSA have different safety criteria and grading scales.

Instead of issuing a list of the safest vehicles in a segment, the IIHS makes a “Top Safety Pick” list. Then they introduced the “Top Safety Pick+” category, which clarifies the situation, as it only features models with the best ratings in all five crashworthiness tests, and that feature an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.

Since the list of vehicles that got the Top Safety Pick Plus distinction is pretty long, we’ll cut the presentation of each vehicle to the minimum so you will have an easy read ahead.

We have taken the freedom of dividing them into classes by relative size and body style, by simplifying the IIHS’s system and merging premium cars with volume models.

We’re only writing about 2016 model year vehicles in this story and only the ones with the Top Safety Pick Plus designation will be presented below. Another relevant note is that most of the models listed achieved the TSP+ distinction with optional front crash prevention systems.

Our list will feature small cars, mid-size cars, full-size cars, and an assortment of SUVs. The latter was split into small, midsize, and full-size as well.Small Cars and Compact Cars
The smallest car to receive the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ distinction is the 2016 Scion iA, which is a US version of the Mazda2 Sedan. The other models on this list are larger, and they include models like the Acura ILX compact sedan. The list also includes the Honda Civic compact sedan, built by the same corporation. The only hybrid compact segment car to make the Top Safety Pick+ list in its category is the Lexus CT200h hatchback.

Meanwhile, the Mazda3 compact sedan and hatchback is nominated for this award with both body styles. The Subaru range has three models, all on the Impreza platform. Therefore, the Crosstrek compact crossover, Impreza, and the Subaru WRX all get the Top Safety Pick+ distinction.

Similar things happen with the Volkswagen offering, as the Golf receives this award in three versions: the 4-door hatchback, SportWagen, and its GTI version. Audi’s A3 Sedan is also on this list, along with BMW’s 2 Series Coupe.Midsize Cars
The list of midsize cars is naturally composed of both premium and volume models, and only the versions with front crash prevention protection were eligible for the Top Safety Pick Plus distinction. We begin our list of this category with Lexus’s ES 350 sedan, built on a Toyota platform. Volvo’s S60 and V60 platform brothers also share a TSP+ distinction.

This title is not limited to import cars, like the Chrysler 200 shows. Honda made a substantial presence with its Accord two-door Coupe and four-door sedan. However, Honda is not the only manufacturer with Two models on this list in the midsize class, as Nissan proves with its Maxima and Altima sedans, as well as Volkswagen does with its Jetta and Passat sedans.

Subaru achieves the same feat with its Legacy and Outback models, as does Toyota with its Camry and Prius V. The Mazda6 midsize sedan completes our list along with its Sonata rival from Hyundai. Full-size Cars
The list of full-size cars with the Top Safety Pick+ distinction only features a volume model, the Toyota Avalon. Meanwhile, Acura’s RLX sedan is listed with the luxury manufacturers, just like the Hyundai Genesis Sedan is. They battle it out with Audi’s A6 and Infiniti’s Q70. The latter only gets the TSP+ distinction without the V8 four-wheel-drive models.

Japanese carmakers are well represented in this class, with a presence from the recently launched Lexus RC Coupe. The recently replaced Mercedes-Benz E-Class is still on the TSP+ list, as is Volvo’s S80 sedan. Small and Compact SUVs
The first bundle of SUVs to be included in our selection is formed by the smallest of them. According to the IIHS, only the Fiat 500X models built after July 2015 get their esteemed Top Safety Pick+ status. The rating is applied to Honda’s compact SUV offering, the CR-V. Hyundai does not lag behind and gets the same rating for its Tucson. Mazda can also pride itself with a TSP+ rating for their compact SUV, the CX-5.

Mitsubishi gets the same score for their compact-class SUV, the Outlander. Subaru’s Forester and Toyota’s RAV4 complete the list of SUVs with the best safety rating awarded by the IIHS for the 2016 Model Year. Midsize SUVs
The list of midsize SUVs that received the IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus distinction is pretty long, so let’s get on with it. The Honda Motor Corporation has three models with this distinction, but only one sold under its main brand, the 2016 Honda Pilot. Meanwhile, the Acura brand, also owned by Honda, has two midsize SUVs with the TSP+ award, the MDX and RDX, and both belong in the same class.

Audi is the only German carmaker with a model in this category with the TSP+ distinction, the Q5. Nissan also has one model in this group with the award, the Murano SUV, as does Toyota, with its Highlander.

Lexus prides itself on two models in the midsize segment that received the best assessment from the IIHS, the NX, and RX. The Lexus NX and RX are the only SUVs in this class that also come in hybrid versions and have achieved this distinction.

The other brand with two SUVs with the Top Safety Pick+ distinction in this segment is Volvo, which reached this feat with the XC60 and XC90 models. Both have excellent active and passive safety features.

The only full-size SUV awarded with the IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus distinction is the Audi Q7.