Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

IIHS Safety Awards: Subaru Scores Triple Win

Subaru’s WRX, a small car, and the Legacy and Outback, both midsize cars, recently earned Top Safety Pick+ awards.

October 29, 2022
IIHS Safety Awards: Subaru Scores Triple Win

The 2023 Subaru Outback and two sister vehicles recently snagged Top Safety Pick+ awards.

Photo: IIHS

2 min to read


The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has recognized three Subaru vehicles with its highest safety accolade. The 2022 WRX, 2023 Legacy, and the 2023 Outback, all recently rolled away with Top Safety Pick+ awards.

The WRX, a small car, and the Legacy and Outback, both midsize cars, mastered six crashworthiness tests — capturing good scores in each evaluation. These included the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength, and head restraint tests.

Ad Loading...

But the rigorous criterion for garnering “plus” status doesn’t end there. Vehicles must also be available with a front crash prevention system that earns advanced or superior ratings in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations. Moreover, good or acceptable headlights must be standard across all trims.

The trio of Subarus met IIHS’ exacting standards.

The redesigned WRX offers an optional front crash prevention system that earns superior ratings in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations. The updated Legacy and Outback do even better — both come with standard front crash prevention systems that earn superior ratings in the two required tests.

As for headlights, the WRX’s Limited and GT trims come with curve-adaptive LED projector headlights that earn a good rating, while the static LED projectors that come with the Base and Premium trims are rated acceptable. IIHS notes that this marks an improvement over the 2021 model, which was passed over for the “plus” because lower trims were equipped with poor-rated halogens.

Finally, both the updated Legacy and Outback earned good-rated headlights across all trim, giving Subaru everything it needed to score a triple win for the most coveted safety award in the industry.

More Safety

A shot of a Volvo electric vehicle with a man charging it in front of a residence.
SponsoredAugust 1, 2026

Top 50 Executive Fleets

It is that time of year again! Time for the 2026 list of the Top 50 Executive Fleets, presented by Automotive Fleet and Volvo as part of its annual Fleet 500. Download now to see this year's list of companies!

Read More →
Promotional graphic for a Utilimarc guide titled How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48% featuring a call-to-action to download the guide.
SponsoredJuly 17, 2026

How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48%

Fleet leaders don't need more data, they need clearer visibility into what the data is saying. This case study explores how one utility replaced speeding-event counts with a single metric — miles driven in violation — to strengthen safety and significantly reduce speeding violations.

Read More →
Smiling commercial truck driver gives a thumbs-up from inside a tractor cab during Operation Safe Driver Week 2026, highlighting fleet safety, responsible driving and enforcement awareness.
Safetyby Judie NuskeyJuly 16, 2026

Operation Safe Driver Week: Why the Industry's Oldest Safety Campaign Still Matters to Fleets

A look at how a 2007 enforcement initiative became one of the most consequential weeks on the fleet safety calendar, and what it means for your drivers in 2026.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Nexar and nauto logos
Safetyby StaffJuly 13, 2026

Nexar-Nauto Merger Aims to Give Fleets Better Safety Intelligence Through Larger Driving Dataset

Stefan Heck tells Automotive Fleet that combining more than 10 billion miles of driving history with Nexar's AI models will give fleets deeper insights into driver risk and roadway conditions than either company could provide independently.

Read More →
A black square with white color font text
SponsoredJuly 2, 2026

From Silos to Solutions: Relationship Management for Safer Fleets

From telematics adoption and driver accountability to policy consistency and risk mitigation, this episode breaks down what it really takes to build a safer fleet culture without slowing business down.

Read More →
IIHS HLDI text overlaid on the trunks of pick up trucks.
Safetyby Chris BrownJuly 2, 2026

IIHS Launches First Commercial Vehicle Safety Evaluations

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has begun evaluating heavy-duty pickups and cargo vans for driver protection. Which models earned top marks?

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A blue and white Automotive Fleet podcast logo
SafetyJuly 1, 2026

Reducing Risk by Eliminating Phone Use Behind the Wheel

Hosted with the cofounder of Lifesaver Mobile, this episode addresses phone use behind the wheel and how to design a driving environment that actually helps prevents accidents.

Read More →
Two people sit across from each other at a desk during a business meeting. One person, wearing a white shirt, has their hands folded while the other gestures with a pen toward documents clipped to a clipboard. Additional paperwork and a calculator are visible on the table, suggesting a discussion involving contracts, finances, or administrative paperwork. Sunlight filters through window blinds in the background, creating a professional office setting.
TelematicsJuly 1, 2026

Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-Time Prevention (Part 2 of 2)

Part Two: Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Continue learning more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab

Read More →
An Automotive Fleet podcast thumbnail
SafetyJune 26, 2026

How 5-Second Telematics Data Is Changing Fleet Safety

This episode connects with Steve Santostasi of Ford Pro and covers how a few seconds of data can make a difference in fleet safety.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Technician inspecting a vehicle engine during maintenance as fleets prepare for summer heat, focusing on battery health, cooling systems, and preventing downtime.
Maintenanceby Faith HowellJune 18, 2026

The Two Biggest Summer Downtime Threats for Fleets

A conversation with a maintenance expert reveals the two most common summer maintenance pains and how to prevent them.

Read More →