How to Read a Car Safety Rating—and Check It Applies

Does this rating apply to the car you are considering?

Record all five fields before you compare two scores. Similar names or body shapes do not show that two vehicles had the same equipment or were tested under the same programme.

1. Market and programmeWhere was the vehicle sold, and which agency tested it?
2. Tested yearWhich criteria and procedures were in effect for that test?
3. Exact vehicle and build dateWhat model and generation appear, and does its production date fit the rating’s stated range?
4. Tested variantDoes it match the engine or powertrain and relevant configuration?
5. Equipment and conditionsWere features standard or optional, and are there build-date or variant exceptions?

Read the programme’s own rules

Compare two candidates on a like-for-like basis

Some programmes publish an overall star result; others, including IIHS, publish individual test ratings and separate awards. Do not assume every agency provides the same kind of headline score or that award labels can be converted between programmes.

1. Open each result at the agency’s own website, not only a seller’s summary.
2. Check that the programme, test year, exact model and equipment are recorded for both cars.
3. Read the separate test areas and stated limitations; do not compare a single headline score alone.
4. Use that programme’s comparison guidance. Different agencies use different tests and scoring rules, so there is no direct conversion between their stars or scores.
5. If the candidate is imported or the tested version differs, ask the manufacturer whether the rating covers that market and specification.

The conclusion that a type-level rating cannot establish the condition of a specific used vehicle follows from what the agencies say their tests cover: selected model variants under test conditions. Use it as one model research input alongside vehicle records and an inspection.

What a model rating cannot tell you about a used car

A crash-test result does not report whether a specific used car was previously damaged, repaired, modified, poorly maintained or fitted with different equipment. It also does not confirm that safety systems in the car are working now.

For the individual vehicle, verify its identity and market, check relevant recall status, review available records and arrange an independent inspection. Keep each source’s result separate, with its search date and limitations.

Two-car safety-rating worksheet

Record each candidate in its own section. Write “unconfirmed” when the source does not identify the detail you need, then use the shared field for any mismatch or next question.