Car Safety Ratings: NHTSA 5-Star Crash Tests

What the stars mean

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program has rated new vehicles with stars since 1993; the current system, with an Overall Vehicle Score, applies from the 2011 model year. Each test gets its own star rating, and the overall score blends them by how often each kind of crash injures people in the real world.

“The result is then compared to the average risk of injury across the vehicle fleet to see whether the average risk of injury for a given vehicle is higher or lower than the average.”NHTSA, 5-Star Safety Ratings FAQ

Two labels sit outside the stars. Not Rated means NHTSA didn't run that test on that vehicle; it isn't a low score, and every vehicle sold in the US must still be certified to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. A ⚠ safety concern symbol flags a problem seen in testing, such as a fuel leak or a door opening, which the stars don't count. A 5-star car can carry one, so read it.

How to compare ratings fairly

The frontal test drives a car into a fixed barrier, which stands in for a head-on crash with a vehicle of the same weight. In a real crash a heavier vehicle fares better against a lighter one, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star large SUV aren't equally protective against each other. NHTSA's rule: compare frontal and overall scores only between vehicles in the same class whose weights are within 250 lb.

NHTSA vehicle classes (by curb weight)

Class	Curb weight
Passenger car, mini	1,500–1,999 lb
Passenger car, light	2,000–2,499 lb
Passenger car, compact	2,500–2,999 lb
Passenger car, medium	3,000–3,499 lb
Passenger car, heavy	3,500 lb and over
SUV · Pickup · Van	Each its own class

• Fair: a 3,400 lb sedan against a 3,650 lb sedan (same class, within 250 lb).
• Not fair: a 4,500 lb SUV against a 3,000 lb sedan, or a 3,600 lb pickup against a 3,400 lb van (different classes).
• Always fair: side barrier, side pole and rollover ratings, because every vehicle meets the same barrier, the same pole and the same measurement.

Ratings also apply to the version NHTSA tested: body style, drive type and sometimes seating. A two-wheel-drive SUV and its all-wheel-drive twin can have different rollover numbers. On each PlainVIN model-year page we show which tested version a rating belongs to.

Star ratings by the numbers, 2011–2026

Cars have become much safer in NHTSA's tests, which also means the overall score separates them less. Counting every vehicle version NHTSA rated by model year:

In 2025, 85% of rated versions earned 5 stars overall, and none has scored below 4 stars since the 2016 model year. A 5-star overall score is now the norm rather than a standout, so when two vehicles tie, compare their frontal, side and rollover stars and the rollover-risk percentage. The current model year is still being tested, so its row will grow.

Source: NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings file, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; one row per tested version (body style and drive type). Computed by PlainVIN.

Rollover risk by vehicle type

The rollover rating comes with a percentage: NHTSA's estimate of the chance the vehicle rolls over if it's in a single-vehicle crash. It is the one safety number where vehicle shape matters most, and it can be compared across all classes.

Taller, narrower vehicles roll more easily, which is why pickups and SUVs sit at the top of the table and often get 3 or 4 rollover stars while low cars get 4 or 5. Electronic stability control, required on new light vehicles since the 2012 model year, cuts real-world rollovers, but the rating measures the vehicle's geometry and its behavior in a severe maneuver. For a tall vehicle, the specific model's percentage is worth checking.

Typical range = middle 80% of rated versions. Source: NHTSA NCAP file, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Computed by PlainVIN.

NHTSA stars vs. IIHS ratings

Two organizations crash-test cars in the US, and their results complement each other. A vehicle that does well in both is the safest bet.

NHTSA also lists recommended driver-assistance technologies that have met its performance tests, such as forward collision warning, lane departure warning, crash-imminent braking and dynamic brake support. They don't change the stars, but the ratings page for each vehicle shows which ones it has.

Using safety ratings on a used car

1. Match the exact model year. Ratings belong to a model year and a tested version. A redesign can change the stars from one year to the next. Decode the VIN to confirm the year and body.
2. Don't compare across the 2011 line. Stars from the 2010 model year and earlier came from an older, easier test program, so a pre-2011 5-star rating isn't equivalent to a current one.
3. Check open recalls. A rating describes the car as designed; an unrepaired safety recall on an air bag or seat belt changes the picture.
4. Read what owners report. Each model-year report counts NHTSA owner complaints by component, next to its crash-test stars and recalls.