Safest cars

Just 27 vehicles this year meet the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's new, tougher standards.

1 of 6
BACKNEXT
Top Safety Picks
Top Safety Picks
New cars keep getting safer, so the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety keeps raising the bar on what's required to earn the group's Top Safety Pick Award. That's why this year's includes just 27 vehicles, less than a third the number that won last year.

Last year, cars, trucks and SUVs had to get top crash test marks for front and side impacts as well as for rear-impact whiplash protection. Plus they had to have electronic stability control, a computerized system that helps the driver maintain control during abrupt maneuvers or on slippery roads.

This year, the Insurance Institute added a requirement for roof crush safety to protect occupants in the event of a rollover. To test roof strength, the Institute presses a metal bar against one side of the vehicle's roof. To earn a good rating, the roof must withstand 4 times the vehicle's weight while crushing less than five inches.

by Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com senior writer

NEXT: Large cars
Last updated November 18 2009: 10:43 AM ET
Email | Print | Share  |  RSS
 
google my aol my msn my yahoo! netvibes
Paste this link into your favorite RSS desktop reader
See all CNNMoney.com RSS FEEDS (close)
Find Your Next Car
More Galleries
10 of the most luxurious airline amenity kits
10 of the most luxurious airline amenity kits
When it comes to in-flight pampering, the amenity kits offered by these 10 airlines are the ultimate in luxury More
7 startups that want to improve your mental health
7 startups that want to improve your mental health
From a text therapy platform to apps that push you reminders to breathe, these self-care startups offer help on a daily basis or in times of need. More
5 radical technologies that will change how you get to work
5 radical technologies that will change how you get to work
From Uber's flying cars to the Hyperloop, these are some of the neatest transportation concepts in the works today. More

Special Offer
Contact Us Closed Captioning Manage Cookies+ Site Map

Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.