Hyundai, Chevrolet, Prius models rate Top Safety Picks

New 2013 models from Hyundai, Chevrolet and Prius have earned Top Safety Pick status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

CAPTION

By IIHS

Winning that status has become almost the price of entry, particularly for family cars these days. To get it, the vehicle must get the top score of good in the IIHS crash tests which are tougher than the federal tests and include front, side, rear and rollover crash tests, including a roof-strength test in the rollover in which the roof must be able to withstand four times the vehicle's weight.

Top Safety pick winners announced today are:

• 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco mild-hybrid sedan, a redesign of Chevy's mainstream, midsize family car. The previous Malibu, still on sale as a 2012, also was a top pick.
• 2012 Hyundai Azera, a redesign of the premium sedan. The previous model, which dated to 2006, did not get the current battery of testing.
• 2012 Toyota Prius c, the all-new smaller Prius hybrid hatchback. The standard Prius and new, larger Prius V already have earned Top Pick status.