After publicly shaming several domestic full-size pickups for subpar crash-test results, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has now turned its attention to another group of America’s sweethearts: muscle cars. V-8 versions of the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, and Ford Mustang have now undergone the full battery of IIHS crash testing, and all three fell short of the Top Safety Pick rating. Although the IIHS doesn’t typically test sports cars, it decided to do so because of information from the Highway Loss Data Institute that points to high crash rates for these three cars. 
The Challenger fared worst of the three, no surprise considering it’s significantly older than the Ford and the Chevy. Although it earned Good ratings in the moderate-overlap front and side crash tests, the Dodge only scored Acceptable in the roof strength and head restraint/seat metrics and Marginal in the difficult small-overlap front crash test. That result rendered it ineligible for the Top Safety Pick award, which requires Good ratings in all crash tests and a forward-collision warning system rated at least Basic (which the Challenger did earn).
The Mustang, which was redesigned for 2015, and the Camaro, which is all new this year, did better. The Ford only missed one TSP requirement, earning an Acceptable rating in the small-overlap test. The Camaro earned a Good rating in that rigorous test but was only rated Acceptable for roof strength and does not offer a fo...