For years, the Toyota Camry has not only been among the most popular cars on the road but also one of the safest. The recent release of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 2012 model-year ratings indicate that not much has changed. The Camry is one of three models that still managed to earn a five-star rating despite the organization's stricter guidelines, USA Today reports.

Along with the Camry, the 2012 Cadillac CTS and Chevrolet Camaro also earned an overall five-star rating. However, it was the Camaro that came away with the highest honor, being the only car that managed to get a five-star rating in every single category.

The findings are good news for Camry, which recently underwent a redesign to improve its safety features. As a result, it scored exceptionally well on the administration's side-crash test while also managing to get four-star ratings on the frontal and roll-over tests, the publication reports.

What's especially impressive about the scores of the Camry, Camaro and CTS is that the NHTSA recently revamped its criteria to make it more stringent, Cars.com reports. Among the changes that were made was a new side pole test that simulates a car or truck crashing into a pole or tree. The NHTSA also implemented new dummies to test for a wider variety of passenger sizes.

Along with making the right decisions when it comes to purchasing a small car, regular auto maintenance can also go a long way to helping improve its safety. New Jersey State Auto Auction makes this easy for drivers thanks to its Total Car Car Center which provides both repairs and tune-ups to the public.