What a difference a year makes. When the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released its Top Safety Picks for 2010, just 27 vehicles made the cut, a fraction of the average lineup. Whole categories were knocked out of the running by the addition of a rollover test, and industry giant Toyota and its Scion and Lexus brands were shut out entirely. To their credit, automakers rose to the challenge, revamping and retesting scores of models throughout 2010 to meet the new criteria. Let's call it a rebuilding year. As of this writing, the IIHS Top Safety Picks for 2011 include 66 vehicles, with every major automaker showing up in at least one category.
Here are the 10 most notable picks, as well as a breakdown of all the winners.
Bing: History of IIHS' Top Safety Picks
LARGE CARS
Toyota Avalon
One of the more bruised categories returns to form, going from a paltry four selections in 2010 to 12 this year.
Top Performer
Toyota Avalon
There's little exceptional about the Avalon, a full-size sedan that emphasizes roomy creature comforts over head-turning design. What is worth noting is that the Avalon made the IIHS list, while Toyota's biggest sellers, the Camry and Corolla, did not.
Other Winners
| Buick LaCrosse | Infiniti M37/M56 (except M56x 4-wheel drive) |
| Buick Regal | Lincoln MKS |
| BMW 5-Series (except 4-wheel drive and V8) | Mercedes E-Class coupe |
| Cadillac CTS sedan | Mercedes E-Class sedan |
| Ford Taurus | Volvo S80 |
| Hyundai Genesis |
MIDSIZE CARS
Dodge Avenger
The midsize category was the only one with a strong showing in the 2010 list, and this year an additional five models passed muster, for a total of 15 Top Safety Picks.
Top Performers
Dodge Avenger
Big changes are in the works for Chrysler and Dodge as Fiat attempts to pull this struggling company into profitability, which means the low-selling Avenger might not survive past 2012. But that's tomorrow. Today, the Avenger is one of four vehicles in the Chrysler Group to receive top honors from the IIHS, along with the Chrysler 200, Dodge Journey and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Kia Optima
Not only are Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia muscling in on Honda's and Toyota's sales in the United States and grabbing headlines with the Equus' owner's-manual-on-an-iPad gimmick, but their reputation for quality is on the rise, and has been for more than a decade. Optima's selection — it's new to the list, joining the Sonata in this same category — is further proof that safety and affordability are not mutually exclusive.
Other Winners
| Audi A3 | Mercedes C-Class |
| Audi A4 sedan | Subaru Legacy |
| Chevrolet Malibu | Subaru Outback |
| Chrysler 200 4-door | Volkswagen Jetta sedan |
| Ford Fusion | Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen |
| Hyundai Sonata | Volvo C30 |
| Lincoln MKZ |
SMALL CARS
Chevrolet Cruze RS
From five models last year to 11 for 2011, the small-car category has made a minor comeback, thanks to a mix of old standbys, such as the Honda Civic and Subaru Impreza, and a few newcomers to the IIHS top picks, such as the Scion tC and the Volkswagen GTI 4-door.
Top Performer
Chevrolet Cruze
Detroit isn't going down without a fight, and domestic automakers seem determined to show that they can respond to a changing market. The new Chevrolet Cruze, a nimble, turbocharged little 4-door whose fuel efficiency, at 36 mpg combined, rivals that of many hybrids, manages to cram 10 airbags into its small frame, including ones that protect the knees. This is how a car can and should debut.
Other Winners
| Honda Civic 4-door (except Si) with optional electronic stability control | Scion tC |
| Kia Forte sedan | Scion xB |
| Kia Soul | Subaru Impreza sedan and hatchback (except WRX) |
| Mitsubishi Lancer (except 4-wheel drive) | Volkswagen Golf 4-door |
| Nissan cube | Volkswagen GTI 4-door |
MINICARS
Ford Fiesta
The laws of physics are stacked against this category. Very small cars fare poorly in collisions with even average-sized vehicles, which are nearly always larger and heavier and often ride high enough to wreak havoc on lower-slung subcompacts. There has never been more than one IIHS top pick for minicars.
Top Performer
Ford Fiesta
The Fiesta has stormed the automotive world, earning almost universally positive reviews among journalists and helping to redefine Ford's image around the world. It was a finalist for World Car of the Year in 2009, losing out to the VW Golf. And since the IIHS added the roof-strength test, the Fiesta — sedan and hatchback versions built after July 2010 — has survived what the previous winner, the Honda Fit, could not.
