New Car Safety Guide
Crash test scores tell you how a car should perform. Death rate data tells you how its brand actually performs on real roads. Here's both β in one place.
The Problem With Crash Tests Alone
Every new car on this page earned IIHS's highest rating β Top Safety Pick+. But that doesn't mean they're all equally safe on real roads.
Crash Tests = Lab Conditions
Controlled speed, angle, and impact. Real crashes are messy and varied.
Death Rates = Real World
How many drivers actually die per million registered vehicle years. The ultimate test.
Brands Have Patterns
Some brands consistently produce vehicles with lower death rates. That's no accident.
π 2025β26 TSP+ Cars, Sorted by Brand Safety Record
All 216 vehicles below earned IIHS Top Safety Pick+. But their brand's historical death rate track record varies enormously.
BMW
Historical death rate: 2.8 per million (based on 2 models with real-world data)
Volvo
Historical death rate: 4.5 per million (based on 2 models with real-world data)
Audi
Historical death rate: 5.8 per million (based on 3 models with real-world data)
Lexus
Historical death rate: 5.9 per million (based on 6 models with real-world data)
Acura
Historical death rate: 9.8 per million (based on 4 models with real-world data)
GMC
Historical death rate: 18.0 per million (based on 7 models with real-world data)
Subaru
Historical death rate: 18.2 per million (based on 7 models with real-world data)
Lincoln
Estimated death rate: 20.0 per million (Luxury brand β estimated from IIHS class death rates for luxury SUVs)
Infiniti
Estimated death rate: 22.0 per million (Luxury brand β estimated from IIHS class death rates for luxury SUVs/cars)
Mercedes-Benz
Historical death rate: 22.6 per million (based on 6 models with real-world data)
Alfa Romeo
Estimated death rate: 25.0 per million (Luxury brand β estimated from IIHS class death rates for midsize luxury SUVs)
Cadillac
Historical death rate: 26.4 per million (based on 2 models with real-world data)
Honda
Historical death rate: 28.9 per million (based on 11 models with real-world data)
Genesis
Historical death rate: 30.0 per million (based on 1 models with real-world data)
Mazda
Estimated death rate: 32.0 per million (Mainstream brand β estimated from IIHS class death rates for small/midsize cars and SUVs)
Jeep
Historical death rate: 32.2 per million (based on 11 models with real-world data)
Ram
Historical death rate: 35.1 per million (based on 9 models with real-world data)
Ford
Historical death rate: 36.4 per million (based on 18 models with real-world data)
Chrysler
Historical death rate: 38.0 per million (based on 3 models with real-world data)
Mini
Estimated death rate: 40.0 per million (Small car brand β estimated from IIHS small car class death rates)
Volkswagen
Historical death rate: 40.2 per million (based on 2 models with real-world data)
Toyota
Historical death rate: 40.5 per million (based on 15 models with real-world data)
Chevrolet
Historical death rate: 42.5 per million (based on 24 models with real-world data)
Buick
Historical death rate: 43.1 per million (based on 6 models with real-world data)
Tesla
Historical death rate: 46.0 per million (based on 3 models with real-world data)
Nissan
Historical death rate: 58.9 per million (based on 10 models with real-world data)
Mitsubishi
Historical death rate: 63.2 per million (based on 6 models with real-world data)
Dodge
Historical death rate: 69.6 per million (based on 8 models with real-world data)
Hyundai
Historical death rate: 71.7 per million (based on 6 models with real-world data)
Kia
Historical death rate: 76.8 per million (based on 8 models with real-world data)
Rivian
Insufficient real-world data β too new or too few vehicles on the road to calculate a death rate
π‘ What This Means for Buyers
β Best bets: A+ and A brands
BMW, Volvo, Lexus, and Audi don't just ace crash tests β their drivers consistently have the lowest real-world fatality rates. If safety is your #1 priority, start here.
π Mid-tier brands: model choice matters
Toyota, Honda, and Subaru make some very safe vehicles β but also some with much higher death rates. Pick their larger SUVs and you'll be in good shape. Their smaller cars carry more risk.
β οΈ D and F brands: be cautious
Hyundai and Kia have dramatically improved their crash test scores, which is great. But their historical death rates remain among the highest β largely due to the small, light vehicles still common in their lineups. If buying from these brands, choose their largest SUVs.
π The universal rule: bigger is safer
Across every single brand, larger vehicles have dramatically lower death rates than smaller ones. A midsize SUV from any brand is likely safer than a compact car from a "safe" brand. Size trumps badge.
π Important Caveats
- Brand grades use historical data β based on 2018β2021 model year death rates. New models may perform differently.
- Death rates reflect drivers too β IIHS adjusts for age/gender but can't fully remove behavior. Luxury brands benefit from more cautious demographics.
- Some brands lack model-specific death rate data β brands like Mazda, Infiniti, and Lincoln aren't in IIHS's used car death rate study, so their grades are estimated from vehicle class averages. Rivian is too new for any death rate data.
- All cars here earned TSP+ β they all passed the same stringent crash tests. The brand grade adds context, not a verdict.
Explore More
See the full data behind these rankings.
Full Brand Rankings β Safest Used Cars β Most Dangerous Cars β