Three legendary sedans — three different philosophies. But when it came down to safety, only one winner emerged. Autoblog put the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Subaru Legacy side by side — and handed first place to the Camry. Not because of a loud marketing package or one trendy driver aid. It all came down to a blend of fresh IIHS crash tests and standard accident-prevention systems.
The Camry’s trump card — the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, and not just once, but two years running: in 2025 and 2026. Why does that matter? The institute has sharply tightened its protocols — small overlap front, the revised moderate overlap frontal impact, the side test, pedestrian crash prevention and headlight quality across trims. The Camry cleared that filter twice. No slip-ups.
The Honda Accord — literally a single step behind. Strong crash-test results, confident collision-prevention systems and the standard Honda Sensing suite. For anyone who prefers the Accord’s seating position, interior or the way it holds the road, there is no choice to make between pleasure and safety. This is not a compromise — it is an almost equal alternative to the Camry.
The Subaru Legacy is fascinating from a completely different angle. Standard symmetrical all-wheel drive plus the EyeSight suite — and on snow, in the rain or on a slippery road, this sedan can steer you clear of a crash before the impact ever happens. For northern regions that is a real argument: the front-wheel-drive Camry and Accord, with no traction at the rear axle, look less sure of themselves here.
But in the overall standings, the Legacy is let down by its age. The model is leaving the market — production wrapped up after the 2025 model year — and its former high scores no longer look as impressive against the new, far tougher IIHS protocols. That does not make the Subaru an unsafe car. But if you measure by current awards and all-round protection, the Camry and Accord are still ahead.
