Safest Cars (5-Star NHTSA Rated)
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Every car here holds a 5-star overall NHTSA rating; ranked by frontal, side and rollover sub-scores. All figures come from our own dataset (US EPA (fueleconomy.gov) & NHTSA snapshots 18 July 2026; Wikidata & curated EU catalogue 18 July 2026) — no opinions, just the numbers, ranked.
Our Methodology
We rank strictly from NHTSA's own published 5-Star Safety Ratings data — the US government's physical crash-test programme, not a manufacturer's claim or a proprietary score. Every car on this page holds NHTSA's highest overall rating (5 stars); we then order by the frontal, side and rollover sub-scores, in that order, since those sub-scores distinguish cars a single headline number can't. We don't blend in owner-reported injury data, recalls or brand-level statistics — just the same government crash-test numbers every car on this site is built from, applied consistently.
Whichever you pick, sort the running gear first — UK: check tyre prices at TirendoUS: check wheel & tyre prices at WheelHero .
Overall Top 10
The best frontal/side/rollover sub-score combinations among all 5-star cars in our database, any body style.
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2020 Acura RLX
5-star overall, with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash ratings.
Saloon/Sedan · Front-Wheel Drive · NHTSA 5★
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2020 Acura TLX
5-star overall, with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash ratings.
Hatchback · Front-Wheel Drive · NHTSA 5★
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2021 Acura TLX
5-star overall, with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash ratings.
Hatchback · All-Wheel Drive · NHTSA 5★
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2022 Acura TLX
5-star overall, with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash ratings.
Hatchback · All-Wheel Drive · NHTSA 5★
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2023 Acura TLX
5-star overall, with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash ratings.
Hatchback · All-Wheel Drive · NHTSA 5★
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2024 Acura TLX
5-star overall, with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash ratings.
Hatchback · Front-Wheel Drive · NHTSA 5★
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2024 Acura ZDX
5-star overall, with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash ratings.
SUV · All-Wheel Drive · NHTSA 5★
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2020 Honda Accord
5-star overall, with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash ratings.
Saloon/Sedan · Front-Wheel Drive · NHTSA 5★
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2021 Honda Accord
5-star overall, with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash ratings.
Saloon/Sedan · Front-Wheel Drive · NHTSA 5★
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2022 Honda Accord
5-star overall, with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash ratings.
Saloon/Sedan · Front-Wheel Drive · NHTSA 5★
Safest SUV
137 suvs in our database hold a 5-star overall NHTSA rating; these rank highest on frontal and side sub-scores.
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2020 Acura MDX
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
SUV · Front-Wheel Drive
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2024 Acura ZDX
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
SUV · All-Wheel Drive
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2020 Audi Q5
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
SUV · All-Wheel Drive
Safest Estate & Wagon
11 estate & wagons in our database hold a 5-star overall NHTSA rating; these rank highest on frontal and side sub-scores.
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2020 Honda Fit
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
Estate/Wagon · Front-Wheel Drive
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2024 Honda HR-V
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
Estate/Wagon · All-Wheel Drive
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2020 Nissan Murano
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
Estate/Wagon · Front-Wheel Drive
Safest Van & Minivan
6 van & minivans in our database hold a 5-star overall NHTSA rating; these rank highest on frontal and side sub-scores.
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2020 Honda Odyssey
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
Van/Minivan · Front-Wheel Drive
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2021 Honda Odyssey
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
Van/Minivan · Front-Wheel Drive
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2022 Honda Odyssey
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
Van/Minivan · Front-Wheel Drive
Safest Pickup
5 pickups in our database hold a 5-star overall NHTSA rating; these rank highest on frontal and side sub-scores.
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2022 Toyota Tundra
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
Pickup · Rear-Wheel Drive
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2023 Toyota Tundra
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
Pickup · Rear-Wheel Drive
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2024 Toyota Tundra
5-star overall, 5-star frontal, 5-star side.
Pickup · Rear-Wheel Drive
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a 5-star NHTSA rating actually mean?
It's the highest overall crash-test rating from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, based on real physical frontal, side and rollover tests — not a manufacturer's own claim. See our full NHTSA ratings guide.
Why are these ranked by sub-score, not just the overall star rating?
Every car here already holds a 5-star overall rating, so ranking by the frontal, side and rollover sub-scores gives a more meaningful order than the headline number alone.
Are all safety-relevant cars NHTSA tested?
No — NHTSA doesn't test every vehicle on sale. A car missing from this list may still be safe; it may simply not have a published NHTSA rating for that model year.
How is this list ranked?
By overall NHTSA rating (5-star only), then by frontal, side and rollover sub-scores in that order, computed directly from the specification data on this site.
What's the safest suv on this site?
Acura MDX — 5-star overall NHTSA rating with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash protection, the best sub-score combination among suvs we track.
What's the safest estate & wagon on this site?
Honda Fit — 5-star overall NHTSA rating with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash protection, the best sub-score combination among estate & wagons we track.
What's the safest van & minivan on this site?
Honda Odyssey — 5-star overall NHTSA rating with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash protection, the best sub-score combination among van & minivans we track.
What's the safest pickup on this site?
Toyota Tundra — 5-star overall NHTSA rating with 5-star frontal and 5-star side crash protection, the best sub-score combination among pickups we track.
Rankings are computed from the specification data on this site and are provided for reference only. Verify details with the manufacturer before purchasing.
Last updated: · Data: US EPA (fueleconomy.gov) & NHTSA snapshots 18 July 2026; Wikidata & curated EU catalogue 18 July 2026