Crash safety tests administered by all automotive ratings agencies have been effectively “raising the bar” year after year, making it harder for automakers to achieve top scores. The end result is that consumers benefit as manufacturers find more ways to improve safety in their cars. That said, the changes mean there are test score discrepancies among model years.

This March, Chevrolet cars proudly brought home a handful of awards for “best value” from Vincentric, including four truck categories and even the “Electric/Plug-in Hybrid Car” spot. This is the second year the Chevy Volt won that particular award, which is “2 for 2” as the Volt has only been in production for two years.