NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - All seven vehicles in a recent set of crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety received the agency's top rating of "Good."

"These results show the progress the auto manufacturers have made in designing safer vehicles," Institute president Brian O'Neill said. "Good performance in the Institute's frontal offset crash test now is the norm. None of the vehicle's we've tested in 2002 or 2003 has received a 'marginal' or 'poor' frontal crash test rating. But it wasn't always that way."

The Institute tests all new or redesigned models each year. In 2002, 22 cars were tested. Eighteen were tested in 2003. It still is possible to buy new cars, such as the Chevrolet Cavalier, that received a "poor" crash test rating from the institute several years ago, but which have not been redesigned.

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In the Insurance Institute's tests, vehicles are propelled at 40 miles an hour into a barrier. Only the left -- or driver's -- side of the vehicle strikes the barrier, so impact forces are concentrated in a small area. This makes "intrusion" -- or crushing -- into the occupant compartment more likely than in crash tests done by the federal government. In federal tests, vehicles hit a barrier at 35 miles per hour and the entire front of the vehicle strikes the barrier.

For more test results, see the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Web site at www.iihs.org.

Earlier this month, the Institute conducted crash tests to measure new cars' bumpers, and the results were less favorable. Five of six new cars scored "poor" or "marginal" ratings. Receiving poor ratings were the Infiniti G35, the Mercedes E Class and the Nissan Quest. The Toyota Sienna minivan and the Saab 9-3 received marginal ratings. The Mazda 6 earned an "acceptable" rating.

Here are some highlights of the most recent round of tests:

Saab 9-3

Saab 9-3: In 1995, the Saab 900, predecessor to the 9-3 received a "poor" rating for structural performance in the institute's tests.

"The 1999 model 9-3 was somewhat improved, but there were still structural problems," O'Neill said.

The new 2003 9-3, however, received a top rating and is called a "best pick" by the Institute. O'Neill called the structural design "much improved."

Toyota Sienna

Toyota Sienna: The Institute tested the Toyota minivan twice. A major fuel leak developed after the first test. When Toyota investigated they found a problem in the manufacturing process for the Sienna's fuel tank and recalled the affected models. In a second test with the new fuel tank there was no leak.

Otherwise, results were similar in both tests and the Sienna earned a "good" rating.

Nissan Quest

Nissan Quest: Nissan's minivan performed far better than before it's redesign for the 2004 model year. The previous version rated "poor" in a 1999 test.

"There's still some room for improvement," O'Neill said. "The steering column moved up too much, and the dummy's head contacted the steering wheel through the frontal airbag."

Lincoln Town Car

Lincoln Town Car: The first time the Institute crash-tested this model, the crash dummy's head bounced off the door frame.

"The hit was hard and resulted in high forces to the head," O'Neill said. "We gave the Town Car an 'acceptable' rating, but Ford officials thought they could fix the problem. They modified the way the airbag deploys and in a second test head injury measures were low."

Mercedes-Benz E-class

Mercedes E-class: The E-class received a "Best pick" recommendation from the Institute despite the fact that the crash-test dummy's head moved partway out of the car's open side window during the impact. On all other measures, this car performed well.