IIHS tests evaluate two aspects of safety: crashworthiness - how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash - and crash avoidance and mitigation - technology that can prevent a crash or lessen its severity.
To determine crashworthiness, IIHS rates vehicles good, acceptable, marginal or poor, based on performance in five tests: moderate overlap front, small overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints. In the area of crash avoidance and mitigation, IIHS assigns vehicles with available front crash prevention systems ratings of basic, advanced or superior, based on the type of system and performance in track tests
To qualify for 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests, as well as a good or acceptable rating in the small overlap front test.
To qualify for 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+, a vehicle must meet the TOP SAFETY PICKcriteria, plus earn an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.
