Best-of list

Highest NHTSA Overall Ratings: SUVs (2012–2016)

Ranked by NHTSA crash-test ratings across 211 model-years of federal data.

Safety and fuel-economy results are ranked from NHTSA and EPA federal data. Owner-complaint lists (raw volume, not exposure-adjusted) remain unpublished until exposure and time-at-risk normalization are available.

NHTSA says overall scores should only be compared within the same vehicle class and at roughly similar curb weights. Treat this as a shortlist, not a complete safety verdict; 2010 scores are excluded because NHTSA changed the rating system for 2011.

Common questions

What is the highest NHTSA-rated 2012–2016 SUV?

By our reading of the federal data, the 2016 Acura MDX tops this list. Open its verdict page for the full complaint, recall and crash record before you buy.

How is this ranking put together?

We rank the 24 matching model years by NHTSA overall crash-test rating, using public NHTSA and EPA data. Owner-complaint lists (raw volume, not exposure-adjusted) remain unpublished until exposure and time-at-risk normalization are available.

This list is generated from NHTSA complaint, recall and crash-test data and EPA fuel-economy data; it is not sales-adjusted and updates on scheduled source refreshes.

Highest NHTSA Overall Ratings: SUVs (2012–2016)

2016 Acura MDX

2015 Acura MDX

2014 Acura MDX

2016 Acura RDX

2015 Acura RDX

2014 Acura RDX

2013 Acura ZDX

2012 Acura ZDX

2016 BMW X3

2016 BMW X5

2016 Buick Enclave

2015 Buick Enclave

2014 Buick Enclave

2013 Buick Enclave

2012 Buick Enclave

2016 Buick Encore

2015 Buick Encore

2016 Buick Envision

2016 Cadillac SRX

2015 Cadillac SRX

2014 Cadillac SRX

2013 Cadillac SRX

2012 Cadillac SRX

2016 Chevrolet Traverse

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Common questions

What is the highest NHTSA-rated 2012–2016 SUV?

How is this ranking put together?