The Volkswagen Jetta has always been the underdog, both in VW’s range and in the compact sedan segment. It’s a good car, offering plenty of value at a fair price. And now turns out it is also quite safe, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives it a 5-start safety rating.

The 2014 VW Jetta exceled at the institution’s front, side, and rollover crash tests thanks to a combination of advanced safety features and clever engineering a rigid construction that absorbs most of the energy of the impact before it even reaches the occupants. Meanwhile a range of airbags inside the cabin cushion the blow and protect the passengers.

The Jetta joins the Passat and the Beetle coupe as 2014 Volkswagen models that have an overall 5-Star Rating.

For 2014, the VW Jetta is offered with a new 1.8-liter TSI turbocharged and direct-injection EA888 engine and independent rear suspension. It does 36 mpg. There is also a new 2014 Jetta TDI Value Edition, priced at $21,295 when equipped with the manual transmission, which comes with a 2.0-liter TDI Clean Diesel engine, electric power steering, 16-inch steel wheels, heatable cloth seats, cruise control, a Media Device Interface (MDI), SiriusXM Satellite Radio, and two additional speakers.