Toyota, Honda Models top U.S. Safest-Car List; VW is 3rd

Toyota led the industry with nine models on the institute’s list released today, followed by Honda with eight and VW with seven. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles had the only U.S.-made car on the list, the Chrysler 200 midsize sedan.

A total of 48 car and SUVs got the institute’s safest car designation of “top safety pick plus.” Toyota’s vehicles on the list ranged from the $16,000 Scion iA to the Lexus RC, a large luxury car which retails for more than $40,000. Honda models included the Accord sedan and Acura RDX luxury SUV. Among Volkswagen vehicles were the Jetta, Passat and Audi A3.

Recommendations from the safety group, which is funded by the insurance industry, are followed by car shoppers and automakers alike. They also provide a glimpse of the future as the criteria include elements that U.S. safety regulators announced this week they want to add to their ratings.

Tough tests

To get the institute’s highest designation, vehicles have to perform well in a tough offset frontal crash test and also offer automatic braking technology. Three years ago, the group shifted to the test, in which a small part of a vehicle’s front end strikes a fixed barrier at 64 km/h, in an effort to reduce fatalities and injuries in crashes like those involving a off-road tree or utility pole. Insurance industry data showed this was a particularly deadly type of crash.

“As vehicles continue to improve, we think it’s important to recognize that progress and encourage further advances by making our ratings more stringent,” said Adrian Lund, CEO of the insurance institute.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Tuesday it will introduce a similar frontal offset crash test in its New Car Assessment Program. The auto-safety regulator is also introducing a new crash-test dummy with more sensitive injury sensors and would adjust its star ratings to include credit for crash-avoidance technologies.