Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick List of the year included 115 cars, but only six new or reappeared luxury cars made to this list.

With the announcement of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick List of the year, the number of 115 cars making to the safety pick list was declared. Out of the 115 cars only six of them were new additions or reappearances in the luxury segment that made to the IIHS Top Safety Pick List.

The Mercedes-Benz M Class is a new addition to the safety list for 2012. Although 2011 model earned top rating for ‘good’ in front and side impact crash tests, it didn’t make to the list. The previous 2009-2010 models of the Mercedes-Benz M Class had also made to the list. The BMW X3 and Acura MDX again made to the list of Top Safety Pick, after being remaining out since 2009. The others two cars that have also joined the list for 2012 are Acura’s TL and the TSX, which includes both the sedan and wagon, or “hatchback,” as the IIHS calls it. The Acura’s TL and TSX haven’t made any appearances on the list since 2009. All these three Acuras had scored ‘good’ during their 2010-2011 absence from the list.

A new car, Buick Verano is the last and final new luxury car addition to the IIHS Top Safety Pick List for 2012. This car has the same size as that of the Chevy Cruze and it is being priced competitively having started its model range with top honors. The Verano isn’t rated as the luxury car by the IIHS, but the high specifications and features in the car are as good as that of a luxury car like Lexus IS, ES or HS and the car costs less than $27,000.

There was tough competition among the luxury brands to make it to the 2012 list. Mercedes-Benz and Volvo scored 5 each followed by Buick, Cadillac and Audi with four apiece. The next were Acura and Chrysler with three each and the BMW, Lexus, Cadillac and Infiniti scored only two each.

The other models that made to the list include Honda Fit, Honda CR-Z, Honda Insight, Toyota Yaris,Scion xD,  Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Subaru Impreza (but not the WRX), Toyota Prius v, Honda Pilot, Honda CR-V and Honda Ridgeline. The Saab, on the verge of bankruptcy, also made it to the list with 9-5 and 9-4X.