Final answer:
Five yellow starbursts with a percentage next to them on a car image typically represent the car's safety rating, which is based on performance in crash tests.
Step-by-step explanation:
The five yellow starbursts within the car image with a percentage shown next to them likely convey a car's safety rating. This is a common symbol used by various safety institutions like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to represent how well a car performs in crash tests. A higher percentage next to the stars would indicate a better performance in ensuring the safety of the passengers during collisions.
The reference to IIHS collecting safety information and publishing safety picks suggests that the stars are a direct depiction of the car's safety credentials. While other factors like engine efficiency or fuel economy are crucial, they are typically represented with different indicators, such as miles per gallon (mpg) for fuel efficiency. Therefore, we can establish that the starbursts are not indicating fuel economy or engine performance.