Official NHTSA 5-star crash test ratings, recall data, and owner complaints for thousands of vehicles
Top-rated vehicles ranked by NHTSA overall safety score
Simulates a full-width frontal collision at 35 mph. Measures driver and passenger head, chest, and leg injury risk.
Tests protection in side-impact collisions using a barrier moving at 38.5 mph. Evaluates head and torso injury risk.
Measures the likelihood of a vehicle rolling over in a single-vehicle crash, using a static stability factor and dynamic handling test.
Everything you need to know about vehicle safety ratings
The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) 5-Star Safety Rating program tests vehicles for frontal crash, side crash, and rollover resistance. A 5-star rating means the vehicle performed exceptionally in crash tests, while lower ratings indicate higher injury risk.
NHTSA engineers crash-test actual vehicles at their testing facility. Frontal crash tests simulate collisions at 35 mph, side barrier tests simulate a vehicle being hit from the side, and rollover tests assess how likely a vehicle is to roll over during a sharp turn. Each test is rated 1-5 stars.
An overall 5-star rating means the vehicle received top ratings across all crash test categories: frontal crash, side crash, and rollover. Fewer than 10% of tested vehicles achieve a perfect 5-star overall rating.
You can look up recalls by make, model, and year on this site. Every recall includes the campaign number, affected components, safety risk description, and the remedy offered by the manufacturer. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealership.
A recall is an official action by the manufacturer or NHTSA requiring all affected vehicles to be fixed for free. A complaint is a report submitted by a vehicle owner about a safety issue. Multiple complaints about the same issue can trigger an NHTSA investigation that may lead to a recall.
Generally yes β modern vehicles include significantly more safety technology such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and side airbags. However, safety ratings should always be checked per specific model year since designs change significantly between generations.
This service uses data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the US federal agency responsible for vehicle safety. NHTSA has tested tens of thousands of vehicles since 1979, providing consumers with independent, government-backed safety ratings.
The 5-Star Safety Ratings program covers model years 2011 and newer. Each vehicle is tested in three categories: frontal crash, side crash, and rollover resistance. The overall rating reflects the combined performance across all tests.
In addition to crash test ratings, this database includes recall information β mandatory repairs that manufacturers must perform free of charge when a safety defect is identified β and owner complaints filed with NHTSA about vehicle safety issues.