The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has unveiled the initial roster of winners for the 2023 model year, with a total of 48 vehicles receiving the prestigious Top Safety Pick+ and Top Safety Pick accolades. This year’s count represents a significant decrease from the 101 models that were honored in 2022. The reduction can be attributed to the heightened standards set by the IIHS, demanding enhanced side-impact protection, advanced crash-prevention technology, and superior lighting systems to qualify for the awards.
Out of the 48 winners, 28 have secured the Top Safety Pick+ distinction, while the remaining 20 have clinched the Top Safety Pick title. In comparison, the previous year saw 65 models achieving the TSP+ rating and 36 earning the TSP designation.
Gallery: 2023 IIHS Crash Test Results
“The reduction in the number of winners for this year reflects our commitment to pushing automakers to further enhance their safety achievements,” stated IIHS President David Harkey. “These selected models excel in both crash survivability and accident prevention measures.”
The collective lineup from Toyota Motor Corp, comprising both Toyota and Lexus brands, clinched the most awards for the 2023 model year. The conglomerate secured nine models with the Top Safety Pick+ distinction and six models with the Top Safety Pick title. In contrast, Hyundai took the lead in the previous year with 11 TSP+ awards and 10 TSP recognitions
Starting from the 2024 model year, the IIHS will discontinue conducting evaluations for roof strength, head restraints, and vehicle-to-vehicle front-crash prevention systems. With the industry’s current safety standards ensuring high ratings across the board, the organization is striving to introduce more rigorous assessments to scrutinize these aspects in future assessments.
Although the removal of certain assessments may suggest an easier path to securing an IIHS award for 2024 vehicles, a ‘Good’ rating on the side-impact test will be mandatory to qualify for either honor. Furthermore, the updated criteria for the moderate-overlap front test will necessitate a ‘Good’ or ‘Acceptable’ rating for a model to achieve the Top Safety Pick+ award. This revised evaluation process will incorporate the presence of a crash test dummy in the second row, with sensors examining potential injuries.
2023 Top Safety Pick+ Winners:
COMPACT VEHICLES
Acura Integra
MEDIUM-SIZED CARS
Subaru Outback
Toyota Camry made after January 2023
LUXURIOUS LARGE CARS
Genesis G90
SMALL SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
Honda CR-V
Honda HR-V
Lexus UX
Subaru Solterra made after October 2022
MEDIUM-SIZE SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
Hyundai Palisade
Kia Telluride
Nissan Pathfinder
Subaru Ascent
Toyota Highlander
Volkswagen ID.4
MIDSIZE LUXURY SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
Acura MDX
Acura RDX
Infiniti QX60
Lexus NX
Lexus NX Plug-in Hybrid
Lexus RX
Tesla Model Y
Volvo XC90
Volvo XC90 Recharge
MINIVANS
Honda Odyssey
Toyota Sienna
BIG PICKUP TRUCKS
Rivian R1T crew cab
Toyota Tundra crew cab
Toyota Tundra extended cab
2023 Best Safety Picks:
COMPACT VEHICLES
Honda Civic hatchback excluding Type R
Honda Civic sedan
Mazda3 hatchback
Mazda3 sedan
Toyota Corolla hatchback
Toyota Corolla sedan
MEDIUM-SIZED CARS
Hyundai Sonata made after December 2022
Subaru Legacy
MEDIUM-SIZED LUXURY CARS
Lexus ES 350
COMPACT SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
Mazda CX-30
Mazda CX-5
Mazda CX-50
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Toyota RAV4 Prime
Toyota Venza
MEDIUM-SIZE SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
Ford Explorer
Mazda CX-9
MEDIUM-SIZE LUXURY SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES
Lincoln Nautilus