Safety & Recognition
Award-Winning BMW Sedans at BMW of Long Island City
Independent testing organizations don't hand out top marks lightly — the 3 and 5 Series have both earned real recognition worth knowing about before you buy.
What awards has the BMW 5 Series won?
The 2024 BMW 5 Series earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) — the organization's highest distinction, requiring top-tier ratings across all crashworthiness tests plus strong marks for available crash-prevention and headlight performance. The 5 Series has also carried a 5-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) across recent model years.
BMW 5 Series
IIHS Top Safety Pick+The 2024 BMW 5 Series earned IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ distinction, the organization's highest award, reflecting top-tier performance across its full battery of crash tests along with strong crash-prevention and headlight ratings.
BMW 3 Series
NHTSA 5-Star RatingThe BMW 3 Series has a strong track record with NHTSA, earning the agency's 5-star overall safety rating across multiple recent model years — the highest score NHTSA awards.
What Backs Up These Ratings
Standard Safety TechBoth the 3 Series and 5 Series come standard with forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, with more advanced driver-assistance packages available across the lineup. That combination of crash-test performance and standard crash-prevention technology is exactly what IIHS and NHTSA reward in their top ratings.
Sources: IIHS Top Safety Pick award listings (iihs.org) and NHTSA vehicle safety ratings (nhtsa.gov). Ratings and award status can change by model year — ask our sales team for the current model year's specific ratings.
Curious how these two models compare beyond safety? See our full BMW sedan overview for a side-by-side look at the entire lineup.
Ask Us About Current Safety Ratings
Ask us about the current model year's specific ratings, or browse inventory to see these safety features firsthand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What awards has the BMW 5 Series won?
The 2024 BMW 5 Series earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, the organization's highest distinction, and has carried a 5-star overall safety rating from NHTSA.
What is the safest BMW sedan?
Based on independent testing, the 5 Series stands out with its IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, while the 3 Series has consistently earned NHTSA's 5-star overall safety rating.
Has the BMW 3 Series won an IIHS Top Safety Pick award?
The 3 Series is tested by IIHS but has not been named a Top Safety Pick in recent model years, even though it has earned a 5-star overall rating from NHTSA.
What does IIHS Top Safety Pick+ mean?
It's the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest award, given to vehicles that earn top ratings across all of its crashworthiness tests along with strong available crash-prevention and headlight performance.