102 Vehicle Models Have Met New Pedestrian Safety Standards
New NHTSA assessments for the 2027 model year track how vehicles protect pedestrians during potential impacts.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Car Types
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has identified 102 vehicle models that meet its new performance criteria for pedestrian protection. These standards will officially apply to vehicles beginning with the 2027 model year.
Why it matters
Updating the New Car Assessment Program helps prospective buyers prioritize safety features that protect against head and leg injuries during an impact. This shift aims to standardize how manufacturers design the front end of passenger vehicles.
Vehicles must score at least 21.6 points out of a maximum 36, or 60 percent, to meet the new criteria. Toyota leads with 26 qualifying entries, while Lexus has 17, and Audi and Volkswagen currently have zero models meeting these standards.
The players
NHTSA
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is the federal agency responsible for setting vehicle safety standards and managing automotive consumer information programs.
Toyota
A major automotive manufacturer that currently leads the qualifying list with 26 entries meeting the new safety standards.
Lexus
The luxury vehicle division of Toyota, contributing 17 models to the list of vehicles meeting the updated safety criteria.
The details
The NHTSA evaluates how a vehicle's front design protects a pedestrian's head, upper leg, and lower leg during a collision. A model is considered to meet these safety standards if at least one trim configuration earns the required 21.6 points or higher. This scoring system shifts the focus toward structural design features that mitigate injury risk in the event of an impact.
Timeline
The new pedestrian protection assessment takes effect for the 2027 model year.
The Home Front
The introduction of pedestrian-focused metrics updates the long-standing criteria used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's New Car Assessment Program. This transition marks a significant shift in how federal safety ratings account for external impact risks rather than just vehicle-occupant safety.
If you are shopping for a new vehicle, research whether your desired trim level has been verified under the new safety criteria. Check the official NHTSA database to see if specific models you are considering for your household meet the updated 2027 safety standards.
The takeaway
Vehicle safety ratings now place a greater emphasis on external protection for pedestrians as well as occupants. Families prioritizing vehicle safety should look for the specific point threshold of 21.6 as a benchmark for qualifying models.
Further reading
You can find more guidance on choosing a safe vehicle in our Car Types section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Road & Track.
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