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Every year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ^[3] puts out a list of cars that earn their Top Safety Pick. The list isn’t limited by any number, it simply lists all the cars that satisfy it’s requirements which include a litany of safety tests from front and side crash tests to whiplash tests to roof crushing. The class of 2010 includes sixty-six cars, a huge increase from the twenty-seven from 2009. In 2009, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety added a roof crush test (the car’s must hold up to four times the weight of the vehicle!) that significantly cut the number of winners (in 2008, there were 72 cars).

Here are the winners based on the category of vehicle:

• Minicar: Ford Fiesta
• Small Cars: Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Civic, Kia Forte sedan, Kia Soul, Mitsubishi Lancer sedan, Nissan Cube, Scion tC, Scion xB, Suburu Impreza (not WRX), Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Golf, Wolkswagen GTI
• Midsize Cars: Audi A3, Audi A4 sedan, Chevrolet Malibu, Chrysler 200, Dodge Avenger, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Lincoln MKZ, Mercedes C class, Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Volkswagen Jetta sedan, Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Volvo C30
• Large Cars: Buick LaCrosse, Buick Regal, BMW 5 series, Cadillac CTS, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Genesis, Infiniti M37/M56, Lincoln MKS, Mercedes E class coupe and sedan, Toyota Avalon, Volvo S80
• Small SUV: Honda Element, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Patriot, Kia Sportage, Subaru Forester, Volkswagen Tiguan
• Midsize SUV: Audi Q5, Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox, Dodge Journey, Ford Explorer, Ford Flex, GMC Terrain, Hyundai Santa Fe, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Kia Sorento, Lexus RX, Lincoln MKT, Mercedes GLK, Subaru Tribeca, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Venza, Volvo XC60, Volvo XC90
• Large SUV: Volkswagen Touareg
• Minivan: Toyota Sienna

As an FYI, the Institute is a private group that is funded by auto insurers.