Safety Ratings — Overview, Methodology & Standards (2025 Update)

NHTSA is a U.S. government 5‑Star program focused on crash and rollover tests; IIHS is an independent nonprofit with more granular crash modes and headlight evaluations. Many shoppers cross‑reference both and keep a quick checklist using a glovebox‑size car buyer’s car buying checklist notebook.

It reports percentages for Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, VRU (pedestrians/cyclists), and Safety Assist, with star ratings summarizing overall performance. Check protocols by year and bring notes to the dealership with a compact rating summary pocket notepad hardcover.

Trim weight, headlights, tire size, and optional airbags or AEB packages can change outcomes. Verify the exact tested configuration and match equipment codes while tracking options with a dealership‑visit vehicle options worksheet.

They may offer advantages in multi‑vehicle crashes, but design and safety tech matter more than size alone. Compare structures, airbags, and ADAS availability, and bring a spec sheet printout in a protective dealership‑friendly clear sheet protectors.

Headlight performance affects nighttime crash risk; IIHS includes this in overall awards. Ensure your trim has the rated units and consider beam‑pattern checks with a garage wall, carrying an adjustable headlight aim headlight aim tool.

Protocols evolve; a 5‑Star in one year isn’t identical to a later 5‑Star. Always check the test year and protocol notes, then organize results in a model‑year comparison sheet with a tabbed research expanding file folder.

It strikes only a portion of the front corner, challenging structures and restraints; IIHS pioneered this test. When reading results, note dummy injury measures and footwell intrusion, and keep reference notes in a pocket crash‑test crash test guide.

IIHS reports LATCH ease‑of‑use; Euro NCAP includes child‑occupant performance using dummies and setups. Bring your child seat to test fit and use a certified installation kit with a dual‑level bubble‑type car seat installation level indicator.

Programs credit forward collision warning and AEB for vehicle‑to‑vehicle and vehicle‑to‑pedestrian scenarios, increasingly in nighttime tests. Verify that your trim includes the rated system and keep sensors clear using a microfiber ADAS‑safe microfiber cleaning cloth car.

Yes—NHTSA’s rollover resistance considers center of gravity and stability control; high‑riding vehicles can show higher risk. Load roof cargo conservatively and use low‑profile boxes with a torque‑wrench‑checked crossbar‑mount torque wrench for roof rack.

Front, side, curtain, and in some cases center airbags influence occupant injury measures. Keep recalls up to date and avoid obstructing airbag zones; store items in a secured organizer like a strap‑down seat‑gap car seat gap organizer strap.

Material choice is less critical than structure design, load paths, and restraint tuning; both can score well. Look for crash‑structure reinforcements and ADAS availability, and note specs in a buyer’s worksheet with a durable clipboard‑folio clipboard folio case.

Euro NCAP and others assess head/leg impacts and AEB pedestrian detection; hood and bumper designs are tuned accordingly. Keep sensors clean and verify operation after windshield service using a calibration‑friendly windshield‑mount adas calibration target.

They may alter crumple behavior or airbag timing if not designed to OEM standards. Choose parts with documented crash compatibility and install with torque‑spec tools like a calibrated click‑type click type torque wrench.

Ratings don’t change, but braking/traction in cold conditions improves with proper tires. Keep a tire‑pressure gauge and torque the lugs correctly after swaps using a portable digital tire‑gauge and a wheel‑safe digital tire pressure gauge.

Euro NCAP and IIHS have begun evaluating driver monitoring and lane support robustness; implementations vary. Check program notes for hands‑on requirements and keep a steering‑wheel reminder card in a visor‑clip driving‑aid visor clip card holder.

Frame designs, ride height, and cab structures differ; some pickups prioritize payload and towing geometry. Review specific cab configurations and headlights, and note results by trim in a truck‑buyer comparison using a ruled comparison‑grid comparison grid notebook.

IIHS has added updated moderate‑overlap tests with rear‑seat dummies; results can differ from front seats. Families should review rear‑seat scores and test belt fit with a booster‑compatibility check using a portable seat‑belt fit booster seat belt guide.

Airbag inflators, seat‑belt anchors, or ADAS software can be recalled; fixing them restores intended protection. Check VINs regularly and keep records organized in a maintenance binder with tabbed vehicle‑record vehicle maintenance binder.

Lifts alter center of gravity, crash geometry, and ADAS sensor angles; they can affect rollover risk and headlight aim. Choose kits with alignment specs and recalibrate sensors, keeping alignment logs in a garage‑safe service alignment report folder.

Yes—criteria change yearly; a prior award may not meet current thresholds for headlights or pedestrian AEB. Filter by year on the program’s site and annotate differences in a year‑by‑year tracking sheet with a dated research yearly planner notebook.

Not directly; ratings focus on injury risk and crash avoidance. Ownership costs involve insurance and parts; keep receipts and photos in a claims folder alongside a protective document‑sleeve insurance document holder.

It measures the force a roof can withstand relative to vehicle weight; stronger roofs help in rollovers. Avoid overloading roof racks and verify torque on mounts using a small beam‑type torque‑checking beam torque wrench 1/4 inch.

Programs assess geometry and dynamic whiplash tests; seat design and active headrests influence scores. Adjust the restraint to the correct height and check owner’s manual guidance with a seat‑fit reminder card on a visor‑clip visor reminder card.

Coverage varies by model; some curtains extend to row three, others do not. Verify airbag diagrams and labels and keep passengers belted, storing instructions in an easy‑access glovebox sleeve like a vehicle safety‑info glovebox document organizer.

Performance can degrade with obscured sensors or glare; some systems disengage when vision is limited. Keep lenses clean and use washer fluid rated for winter, stored in a trunk‑safe leak‑proof windshield washer fluid container leakproof.

Program thresholds tightened or equipment changed (e.g., headlight type on base trims). Check the test notes and choose the trim with the higher‑rated headlights, tracking differences in a trim‑comparison trim comparison chart.

Euro NCAP and other programs award points for robust reminders and rear‑seat coverage; they encourage belt use. Keep kids buckled with visual reminders and a clip‑on timer on a rear‑seat mirror using a child‑travel reminder rear seat mirror with timer.

They’re different systems with different goals; many consumers prefer vehicles scoring well in both. Cross‑list candidates and test drive at night to evaluate headlights, bringing a reflective roadside‑safe reflective safety triangle kit.

Ratings focus on crashes; towing stability depends on hitch setup, trailer brakes, and load distribution. Use a weight‑distribution hitch and brake controller, plus a torque‑checked lug‑nut kit like a trailer‑tow wrench‑and‑socket trailer lug nut torque wrench.

Look at specific tests (e.g., small overlap vs side impact) and equipment notes; programs weigh categories differently. Build a comparison table by test type and model year using a side‑by‑side spreadsheet printed in a research‑binder‑friendly sheet protector tabbed.

Programs test factory equipment; bulb swaps can change beam pattern and legality. Choose OEM‑type assemblies for rated performance and aim them properly with an SAE‑pattern headlight aim headlight aiming board.

Yes—programs specify impact speeds (e.g., 40–64 km/h depending on test), with dummies measuring loads at key body regions. Read the protocol and compare across years, keeping notes in a laminated spec‑card using a durable field‑note laminated spec card.

Yes—after glass replacement, ADAS calibration is often required to restore performance. Ask shops about calibration procedures and confirm with a post‑repair check using a target‑board alignment adas target board kit.

Light‑duty vans and pickups might have different structures or weights; confirm whether your variant was tested. Fleet buyers should consult body builder guides and maintain upfit compliance records in a DOT‑audit‑ready document document organizer for truck.

Seat height, distance to the wheel, and belt routing influence injury measures; proper head restraint alignment is crucial. Adjust seating per the manual and keep a reminder card with diagrams in a visor‑mount safety‑position driver ergonomics card.

Some programs modify procedures when fixed roofs aren’t present; torsional rigidity and rollover protection may be assessed differently. Review protocol notes for your body style and keep copies during shopping with a waterproof spec‑sheet waterproof document pouch.