The safest cars on the road

Seven cars and SUVs, including three from General Motors and two from Volkswagen, have received the highest safety rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Along with the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain, the Top Safety Pick Plus designation went to the 2015 Volkswagen Golf and GTI as well as the 2015 Hyundai Genesis and 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

To achieve the Top Safety Pick Plus rating, a 2014 model or later car has to have good ratings in the institute's crash tests -- including the difficult new small overlap test, which simulates hitting another car, a tree or light pole with one corner of the car. In addition, the top-rated vehicles must have a crash prevention system at least as an option -- including automatic braking or front collision warning. Vehicles that perform well in crash tests but do not offer accident-prevention technology get the second-level ranking of Top Safety Pick (without the plus).

2014 Chevrolet Malibu

In the small overlap crash test, IIHS says that "the driver's space was maintained well, and injury measures recorded on the driver dummy indicated low risk of any significant injuries in a crash of this severity." The side airbag deployed properly to protect the driver's head from hitting the side of the door.

IIHS also notes that Chevrolet redesigned the front structure and door sill to perform better in this test after receiving a "marginal" rating for the 2013 version. Reviewers surveyed by U.S.News see the redesigned Malibu as improved but still trailing some competitors with better styling. The Malibu has added a so-called start-stop feature which shuts off the engine at stop lights, then smoothly restarts it. With this feature, the base four-cylinder engine is rated for 25 MPG in city driving and 36 on the highway.

2014 Chevrolet Equinox

As with the Malibu, Chevrolet made changes to the front structure of the new Equinox to improve performance in the small overlap test. "The driver space was maintained well," IIHS says of the new test.

"Measures taken from the dummy indicate a low risk of any significant injuries in a crash of this severity." Reviewers like the smooth ride and roomy seats of this small SUV. They see the base four-cylinder engine as underpowered but like the optional V-6. That six-cylinder engine is rated for 17 MPG in city driving and 20 on the highway.

2014 GMC Terrain

A GM corporate sibling of the Chevrolet Equinox, the Terrain also has a redesigned front end that improved crash test performance. As with the Equinox, the driver space was well protected and risk of injury was low. The Terrain is praised by reviewers for its luxurious interior, smooth ride and standard high-tech features. The back seats are spacious with plenty of legroom. Here, too, test drivers much preferred the optional V-6 engine with a 17/20 MPG rating.

2015 Hyundai Genesis

The 2015 Genesis, Hyundai's entry in the luxury segment, performed well in the IIHS front, side and rollover tests. Starting at $35,200, the Genesis is praised for delivering luxury features at a less-than-premium price. Test drivers say that both the standard V-6 and optional V-8 engines deliver strong acceleration. The smaller engine is rated for 18 MPG city, 29 highway, but the V-8 involves some mileage penalty with a 15/23 rating.

2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The top rating here applies to 2014 models manufactured after January 2014 (information available on the certification sticker -- usually inside the driver's door.) At that time, the footwell area of the E-Class was strengthened to improve lower-body protection in the small-overlap crash test. In addition, the side airbag deployed properly to protect the head.

Buyers who opt for the car's Blue Tec diesel engine are getting the rare combination of plenty of power with high mileage ratings of 28 MPG city and a startling 45 in highway driving. Reviewers like the comfortable ride and the spacious interior, described as one of the most luxurious among competitors.

2015 Volkswagen Golf

The redesigned Golf continues the previous model's strong crash test performance and adds forward collision warning, although it does not include automatic braking. The redesigned vehicle added leg room for rear-seat passengers and made adjustments to the driver's seat for more comfort. A new engine has improved fuel economy to a rating of 25 MPG city, 33 highway when equipped with automatic transmission. The 2015 Golf has a four-cylinder turbocharged engine that is rated at 25 MPG for city driving, 33 on the highway when equipped with automatic transmission.

2015 Volkswagen GTI

The sportier, pricier sibling of the Golf, the GTI starts just above $25,000. It gets the same test results as the structurally identical Golf.

Although test drivers are still putting the 2015 models through its paces, the previous version was rated as the top upscale small car by reviews compiled by U.S. News. Expect a continuation of the athletic handling that make the GTI so much fun to drive on twisting and hilly roads.