The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety today releases its list of Top Safety Picks – the 2012 model-year vehicles with the best crash-test ratings. The auto-safety research group, which is funded by the insurance industry, said 115 vehicles made the list this time around.

The results reflect efforts by car makers to strengthen the roofs of their vehicles to perform well in a roof-crush test that simulates the stress put on the roof in a rollover crash. The Institute added the roof test to its crash-test program that includes front, side and rear impact collisions. To get a top overall rating a vehicle has to perform well enough to receive the group’s best grade of “good” in the crash and in the roof test, reported The Wall Street Journal.

Every major car maker has at least one vehicle on the top-picks list and Toyota has the most with 15, including its Lexus luxury and Scion small-car brands. Of particular note is that the top-selling Camry sedan made the grade for the first time after the car maker changed the design of its seats and head-restraints to improve protection in rear-end crashes.

There are 18 new award winners on the list, and 97 vehicles that were winners in 2011 carry over for 2012. The top picks include 15 vehicles that are available as hybrids, and both the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt remain on the list from 2011. Fifteen of the winners are available as hybrids and the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf electrics carry over their awards from 2011.

Here is the full list of top-rated models by segment:

Minicars:

Fiat 500 built after July 2011

Ford Fiesta sedan & hatchback

Honda Fit

Toyota Yaris 4-dr hatchback

Small cars

Chevrolet Cruze, Sonic, Volt

Ford Focus

Honda Civic 4-dr

Honda CR-Z, Insight

Hyundai Elantra

Kia Forte sedan

Kia Soul

Lexus CT 200h

Mazda 3 sedan & hatchback

Mini Cooper Countryman

Mitsubishi Lancer

except Ralliart & Evolution

Nissan Cube, Juke, Leaf

Scion tC, xB, xD

Subaru Impreza except WRX

Toyota Corolla, Prius

Volkswagen Golf 4-dr

Volkswagen GTI 4-dr

Midsize moderately priced cars:

Audi A3

Buick Verano

Chevrolet Malibu

Chrysler 200 4-dr

Dodge Avenger

Ford Fusion

Honda Accord

Hyundai Sonata

Kia Optima

Subaru Legacy, Outback

Toyota Camry, Prius v

Volkswagen Jetta sedan

Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen

Volkswagen Passat

Volvo C30

Midsize luxury near luxury cars:

Acura TL built after Sept. 2011

Acura TSX sedan & wagon

Audi A4

Lincoln MKZ

Mercedes C-Class

Volkswagen CC except 4wd

Volvo S60

Large family cars:

Buick LaCrosse, Regal

Chrysler 300

Dodge Charger

Ford Taurus

Toyota Avalon

Large luxury cars:

Audi A6

BMW 5 series except 4wd & V8

Cadillac CTS sedan

Hyundai Equus, Genesis

Infiniti M except M56x 4wd

Lincoln MKS

Mercedes E-Class sedan

Mercedes E-Class coupe

Saab 9-5

Volvo S80

Small SUVs:

Honda CR-V

Hyundai Tucson

Jeep Patriot

with optional side torso airbags

Kia Sportage

Subaru Forester

Volkswagen Tiguan

Midsize SUVs:

Chevrolet Equinox

Dodge Durango, Journey

Ford Edge, Explorer, Flex

GMC Terrain

Honda Pilot

Hyundai Santa Fe

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Kia Sorento

Subaru Tribeca

Toyota Highlander, Venza

Midsize luxury SUVs:

Acura MDX

Audi Q5

BMW X3

Cadillac SRX

Infiniti EX35

Lexus RX

Lincoln MKT, MKX

Mercedes GLK, M-Class

Saab 9-4X

Volvo XC60, XC90

Large SUVs:

Buick Enclave

Chevrolet Traverse

GMC Acadia

Volkswagen Touareg

Minivans:

Chrysler Town & Country

Dodge Grand Caravan

Honda Odyssey

Toyota Sienna

Volkswagen Routan

Large pickups:

Ford F-150 crew cab models

Honda Ridgeline

Toyota Tundra crew cab models