Yahoo Autos The Safest New Cars You Can Buy in 2023, According to the IIHS
Safety first.
If you’re in the market for a new set of wheels in 2023, there are a few important considerations to make before dropping the small fortune needed to purchase a new car. Looks, performance and features all come into consideration, but what about safety ratings? If safety plays an important role for your next daily driver, then the latest awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety might interest you.
Every year, the IIHS unveils its long list of award winners for car safety, and 2023 is no different. As is tradition, the testing body has handed out Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick + awards to all manner of vehicles.
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In total, 48 models from 2023 earned safety awards this year, with 25 of them picking up the Top Safety Pick + medal. If that sounds like a low number of award winners, it’s because it is! This year, the agency tightened the rules around its road tests and, as a result, handed out less than half the number of medals it did in 2022.
In a statement, IIHS president David Harkey said: “The number of winners is smaller this year because we’re challenging automakers to build on the safety gains they’ve already achieved. ... These models are true standouts in both crashworthiness and crash prevention.”
So, from pickup truck to minivans, click through the following slides to find out what cars are the safest models you can buy in 2023.
2023 Acura Integra
Marking a return to the road in 2023, the Acura Integra is likely to win fans thanks to its styling and nameplate. But, it’s also one of the safest cars out there thanks to its superior front crash prevention tech.
2023 Subaru Outback
One of three Subaru models to earn top marks this year was the Outback. This midsize model earned top marks for its seat belts and child restraints, according to the IIHS.
2023 Toyota Camry
Toyota earned the most Top Safety Pick + medals across its Toyota and Lexus brands this year. First among those was the 2023 Camry, but only for models built after January 2023.
2023 Genesis G90
The only car from Genesis to earn the top award this year was the G90. This luxurious sedan earned top marks at jalopnik for its sleek looks, but proved to be safe and stylish thanks to its crash-prevention tech. The G90 is also the only luxury car to earn the top medal.
2023 Honda CR-V
Ah! Another Honda! This time it’s the new CR-V, which debuted last year with new styling and an all-new hybrid powertrain. The top-tier rating for the CR-V was helped by its collision mitigation braking system.
2023 Honda HR-V
The third of six Honda-made cars to earn top marks in the IIHS testing was the Honda HR-V. The small SUV earned the top “good” rating in every aspect of the test, except for its headlights and child seat anchors, which were rated “average.”
2023 Lexus UX
The Lexus UX and its enormous fenders first went on sale stateside back in 2018. Now, it’s been rated as one of the safest cars you can buy in America thanks to its “good” rating in every category tested.
2023 Subaru Solterra
One of just four electric cars to walk away with top marks this year was the Subaru Solterra, which the Japanese marque developed alongside the Toyota BZ4X. The plug-in SUV was another car awarded for its superior crash-prevention technology.
2023 Hyundai Palisade
Midsize SUVs accounted for the most Top Safety Pick + medals across both standard and luxury models. The Hyundai Palisade was one such award winner, despite only earning an “acceptable” rating for its seat belt reminders and child seat anchors.
2023 Kia Telluride
Hyundai stablemate Kia picked up a nod for its Telluride SUV. The midsize model, which shares a platform with the Palisade, first went on sale in the U.S. back in 2019. The refreshed model for 2023 earned top marks in the IIHS testing.
2023 Nissan Pathfinder
Nissan updated the looks for the Pathfinder back in 2022, which brought it out of the non-descript blob territory that it was edging closer to. Now, it’s a modern looking SUV that’s packed full of tech and safety features.
2023 Subaru Ascent
Subaru’s three-row SUV is the last award-winner for the Japanese automaker. The Ascent SUV was praised in every aspect of the IIHS testing, and even picked up a plus rating for its child seat anchors.
2023 Toyota Highlander
After gaining a turbocharger in 2023, the Toyota Highlander can add a Top Safety Pick + rating to the list of things it’s collected this year. The Highlander picked up “good” ratings in each category tested, and was judged to have “superior” crash avoidance tech.
2023 Volkswagen ID.4
Another electric model to earn the Top Safety Pick + rating was the ID.4, which is the only model from Volkswagen to earn top marks in testing. The ID.4 went on sale Stateside back in 2020, but hasn’t yet wowed many buyers enough to drag them away from their gas-powered VWs.
2023 Acura MDX
The first luxury SUV to earn top marks this year is the Acura MDX. It ticked all the boxes when it came to the IIHS test, and has been winning fans across America thanks to its sleek styling and feature-packed interior.
2023 Acura RDX
Another Acura to win top marks this year was the RDX, which the IIHS rated as “good” in every category. Last refreshed in 2021, the Acura RDX comes with the brand’s AcuraWatch system to mitigate collisions with pedestrians and other vehicles.
2023 Infiniti QX60
The one and only Infiniti to earn the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick + medal is the QX60. This luxury, midsize SUV might be getting a little long in the tooth, but a refresh in 2020 brought improved tech and looks to the lineup.
2023 Lexus NX
The IIHS awarded both the gas-powered and the plug-in hybrid Lexus NX top marks for safety this year. The second-generation crossover was praised on all accounts by the testing body, and Jalopnik when we hopped inside the crossover.
2023 Lexus RX
Now in its fifth generation, the Lexus RX is still winning fans and, apparently, safety awards. The 2023 iteration of the luxury SUV was praised in all aspects of the IIHS testing.
2023 Tesla Model Y
The only Tesla to make this list of the safest cars you can buy today is the 2023 Tesla Model Y. Since its launch back in 2020, the Tesla Model Y has seen its price yo-yo around the world as the American automaker hiked its prices, backtracked and then backtracked on the backtrack.
2023 Volvo XC90
Despite being an automaker synonymous with the word safety, the XC90 was the only model in Volvo’s range to earn the IIHS’s top award. Both the gas-powered XC90 and the plug-in XC90 Recharge were rated as worthy of the regulator’s Top Safety Pick + medal.
2023 Honda Odyssey
The final Honda to earn top marks was the Odyssey. This high-ranking minivan was once again praised for its collision-avoidance measures and, you know, because minivans are the superior mode of transport.
2023 Toyota Sienna
The only other minivan to feature in the Top Safety Pick + medal-winners was the Sienna from Toyota. The Sienna was rated good in every aspect of the test, except in its crash-prevention measures for pedestrians, which the IIHs rated as “advanced.”
2023 Rivian R1T
Just two pickup trucks gained top marks from the IIHS, the first of which was the electric Rivian R1T from the Amazon-backed startup. The truck was said to have “superior” pedestrian crash-prevention tech, which is handy when you’re driving around at shoulder height for most people.
2023 Toyota Tundra
Finally, the Toyota Tundra was the last award-winner this year. The IIHS awarded both the crew cab and extended cab models of this full-size pickup truck with its top rating, thanks to its top marks in every category.
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