2019 Honda HR-V earns Top Safety Pick rating

Without 'good' headlights, the HR-V still misses out on the top award.

The 2019 Honda HR-V has earned a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The 2019 edition brings a higher-rated headlight option, an available front crash prevention system and better performance in the driver-side small overlap front crash test.

Surprisingly, earlier models earned only an 'acceptable' rating in the driver-side small overlap test. The company consequently made structural changes to improve occupant protection in both the small- and moderate-overlap crash scenarios.

The new LED reflector headlights available in the Touring trim now earn an 'acceptable' rating, though the halogen base headlights are still deemed 'poor' for inadequate visibility.

The HR-V is the sixth Honda model to qualify for a 2019 award, with the Insight alone in earning Top Safety Pick Plus honors. The HR-V needed a 'good' headlight rating to qualify for TSP+.