Matching 174,171 used listings to their model year's crash test record, then opening up what the overall star actually contains.
| Share | |
|---|---|
| Listings rated five stars overall | 65.1% |
| …of those, frontal impact was 4 stars | 39.1% |
| …of those, frontal impact was 5 stars | 60.9% |
| Five stars overall AND rollover ≤3 | 0.23% |
The average conceals the weakest number
NHTSA combines frontal impact, side impact and rollover into one figure. A car scoring 5 for side, 5 for rollover and 4 for frontal still comes out as five stars overall.
In the reference data there are 934 model years with five stars overall and a five-star frontal, against 691 with five stars and a four-star frontal. Weighted by what's actually for sale, that second group is 39.1% of everything wearing the badge.
Why frontal is the one to look at
Frontal impact is the most common serious crash configuration — head-on and offset collisions, the ones that happen at speed on ordinary roads.
It's also the test where cars perform worst. We pulled the components apart previously: side impact averages 4.98 stars, frontal 4.38 and rollover 4.09. Side impact is effectively solved; frontal isn't.
So the component most likely to matter is the component most likely to be a four — and the overall figure hides exactly that.
The combination that basically doesn't exist
Five stars overall with a rollover score of three or less: 0.23% of the market. Roughly one listing in 435.
That's because rollover is the hardest component to score well in, so a car with a weak rollover result can't average up to five. Which means a five-star badge does reliably tell you the vehicle isn't tall and narrow — it just doesn't tell you how it handles a head-on impact.
What to do
Look up the three components, not the badge. They're published per model year and take a minute to find.
Weight it to your driving. Mostly motorway miles means frontal matters most. Mostly urban junctions means side impact.
Remember what the rating doesn't cover. Small overlap crashes, headlight performance and crash-avoidance systems are all outside it — IIHS covers those and tests a different set of vehicles.
And check the car, not the model. A five-star vehicle with an unrepaired airbag campaign doesn't perform to its rating. A VIN check shows what's open on that specific car.
Frequently asked questions
Does a five-star safety rating mean five stars in every test?
No. Of used listings carrying a five-star overall rating, 39.1% scored only four stars for frontal impact. The overall figure averages frontal, side and rollover, so a four in one component can still produce five overall.
Which crash test component matters most?
Frontal impact — the most common serious crash configuration and the one cars perform worst in. Across rated model years side impact averages 4.98 stars, frontal 4.38 and rollover 4.09.
Can a car have five stars overall and a poor rollover score?
Almost never — just 0.23% of the market, about one listing in 435. Rollover is the hardest component to score well in, so a weak result there can't average up to five overall.
What isn't covered by the star rating?
Small overlap crashes, headlight performance and crash-avoidance systems like automatic emergency braking. IIHS tests those and covers a different set of vehicles than NHTSA.
Denis Kataev is a serial solopreneur and the founder of ForCar. With 15+ years in software engineering and 10 years in SEO, he builds data-driven products end to end — backed by a sharp eye for design. At ForCar he mines proprietary vehicle datasets, turning raw numbers into buying advice you can actually trust.
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