The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced its list of model year 2025 vehicles selected for testing as part of its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) 5-Star Safety Ratings.

The listed vehicles, combined with previously tested models with no significant changes in the new model year, will represent safety ratings for 87% of the new vehicle fleet, NHTSA said in a press release.

“This broad cross-section will help consumers make purchasing decisions about the vehicles that best fit their needs,” NHTSA said in the release.

Thirty-seven vehicles were selected for testing this year, including eight electric or hybrid models:

• • Audi Q6 e-tron EV SUV
  • BMW X3 SUV
  • Cadillac CT5 with V6 four-door
  • Cadillac Escalade SUV
  • Cadillac XT4 SUV
  • Chevrolet Equinox SUV
  • Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup crew cab truck
  • Chevrolet Tahoe SUV
  • Ford Expedition SUV
  • Ford Explorer SUV
  • Ford Transit Wagon (low and medium roof) passenger vans
  • Genesis GV80 SUV
  • Hyundai Palisade SUV
  • Hyundai Tucson SUV
  • Jeep Gladiator pickup crew cab truck
  • Jeep Wrangler 4-Door 4xe PHEV SUV
  • Kia K4 f0ur-door
  • Kia Niro Hybrid SUV
  • Lexus NX 350 SUV
  • Lincoln Nautilus SUV
  • Mazda CX-70 Hybrid SUV
  • Mazda CX-70 PHEV SUV
  • Mitsubishi Outlander SUV
  • Nissan Frontier Crew Cab pickup truck
  • Nissan Kicks SUV
  • Nissan Murano SUV
  • Ram Ram 1500 Crew Cab pickup truck
  • Ram Ram 1500 Quad Cab pickup truck
  • Subaru Forester SUV
  • Toyota 4Runner SUV
  • Toyota Camry Hybrid four-door
  • Toyota Corolla four-door
  • Toyota Corolla Cross SUV
  • Toyota Land Cruiser Hybrid SUV
  • Toyota Tacoma extended cab pickup truck
  • Toyota Tundra extended cab pickup truck
  • Volkswagen Tiguan SUV

The vehicles will be evaluated in frontal, side, and rollover crash scenarios.

NHTSA also announced the five vehicles it will test to verify the performance of certain advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) — the Chevrolet Equinox SUV, Ford Expedition SUV, Hyundai Santa Fe SUV, Kia K4 four-door, and Subaru Forester hybrid SUV.

The technologies for evaluation are lane departure warning, forward collision warning, crash imminent braking, and dynamic brake support.

“NHTSA is committed to providing the public with the most reliable and up-to-date safety information so they can choose the vehicle that’s right for them,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman, in the release. “The 5-Star Safety Ratings program motivates automakers to integrate advanced safety technologies into a wider range of vehicles, helping to save lives and reduce injuries on our nation’s roads.”

The vehicle safety ratings, with one star being the lowest and five stars being the highest, will be available at NHTSA.gov/Ratings and on the window stickers of new cars when testing is complete.

NHTSA’s NCAP aligns with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS), which is the department’s approach to reaching its goal of significantly reducing serious injuries and deaths on highways, roads, and streets nationwide.

Pickup trucks, SUVs, and vans account for nearly 75% of vehicles produced today, according to new research from the Road to Zero Coalition.

The research includes recommendations for federal, state, and local governments as well as vehicle drivers to improve hazards the coalition says are caused by bigger, heavier pickup trucks.

The number of pedestrian deaths involving SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans rose about 77% between 2012 and 2022, while over the same period, the number of sales and leases of such vehicles rose by 50%, according to the report.

“This dynamic underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies within the [USDOT] Safe System Approach to address the complex interplay between vehicle size, safety, and transportation mode choices,” the report states.

The coalition aims to reach zero roadway deaths by 2050. It is a National Safety Council initiative funded by NHTSA.  

Images

Featured image: Stock photo of crash test dummy in crash scenario. (Credit: JestersCap/iStock)