The Department of Transportation has unveiled a stricter safety testing system that will lower the amount of stars received for some popular vehicles.

The new system is said to be a lot tougher on vehicles and highlight a greater disparity between the models. Many vehicles in the past were easily able to achieve five and four stars under the old system.

Chief among the changes is a new overall score that weighs various factors into one number. While the test still differentiates for front and side-impact rating, it also takes into account some new features. Dummies representing the average size of women will now be incorporated, as will a test where the vehicle strikes a tall object like a pole or a tree.

"We are raising the bar on safety," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

In an initial analysis of some new models, some vehicles came out looking better than ever. The BMW 5 Series and Hyundai Sonata were the only two vehicles who got a five-star rating in the first batch of 34 vehicles. The Toyota Camry, a previous five-star winner, was rerated down to a three-star car, while the Nissan Versa, previously at four stars, walked away with just two.

Travelers should consider safety features when searching for a car, but they can still get a great value by searching for some of the safer vehicles on the used car market.