Three more SUVs and one sedan qualified for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick+ designation, the group representing the insurance industry’s highest award. But five others who were tested recently missed the cut.
The IIHS said in March when it announced its initial list of 45 Top Safety Pick award winners for 2026 that it was now “putting the onus on automakers to improve their crash avoidance systems and better protect rear-seat passengers” as it awarded 2026 safety awards to dozens of vehicles.
IIHS President David Harkey then said, “This year, we’re asking automakers to make excellent safety for rear seat passengers the norm.” “For Top Safety Pick+, we need a crash avoidance system that is better at preventing pedestrian crashes as well as high-speed crashes with other vehicles.”
With the latest round of awards, this year there are 38 SUVs out of 49 winners for the Top Safety Pick+ award and 12 out of 18 Top Safety Pick winners. IIHS noted in the spring that its 2026 Top Safety Pick+ winners were priced under $30,000, with the Kia K4 priced at $22,900.
IIHS noted that there were no minicar, minivan or small pickup awards this year. The group said the lack of award-winning minivans is particularly worrisome, as the vehicles have historically been viewed as family cars.
Harkey said, “It is disappointing that minivans continue to struggle to provide the best available protection for rear passengers, given that these are supposed to be family vehicles.” “Based on these results, parents may want to consider some of the more affordable sedans and SUVs that earn awards.”
Which cars won the latest round of Top Safety Pick+ awards?
Audi A6IIHS Rating: Top Safety Pick+ Starting Price: $64,100 What They Said: “The A6 was redesigned for the current model year,” the IIHS said, and in addition to meeting other requirements for the ‘Plus’ award, the A6 earned a Good rating in the vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention evaluation.
BMW X1IIHS Rating: Top Safety Pick+ Starting Price: $43,975 What They Said: IIHS said the
Mazda CX-5IIHS Rating: Top Safety Pick+ Starting Price: $29,990 What they said: “The CX-5 was also redesigned for 2026. It earns ‘Plus’ scores, helped by good ratings in the vehicle-to-vehicle frontal crash prevention evaluation and pedestrian crash prevention test,” the IIHS said.
subaru crosstrek hybridIIHS Rating: Top Safety Pick+ Starting Price: $33,995 What They Said: The IIHS said that “the Crosstrek Hybrid is a promising new launch.” In addition to meeting other requirements for the Plus, the Crosstrek Hybrid earned a Good rating in vehicle-to-vehicle frontal crash prevention evaluations, the group said.
“Unlike most non-plug-in hybrids, the Crosstrek Hybrid is rated separately from conventional Crosstrek due to differences in their structures and constraints,” the IIHS said.
What type of crash tests were conducted on the cars?
The newly awarded vehicles received Good or Acceptable ratings in the following tests:
- small overlap in front
- front medium overlap
- Side
- headlights
The IIHS said the vehicles also received good ratings in the following tests:
- Front Accident Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle 2.0
- Front crash prevention: pedestrian
- seat belt reminder
- LATCH ease of use
Which cars missed the cut?
The IIHS said it tested the following cars, and they failed to earn a Good or Acceptable rating enough to be named a Top Safety Pick+ or Top Safety Pick winner:
- Audi A3 Sedan
- cadillac ct5
- Lexus IS
- nissan kicks
- Toyota Tacoma Crew Cab
Which other cars have won Top Safety Pick+ awards this year?
Forty-five cars were initially awarded the Top Safety Pick+ designation for 2026. Here are the winners:
small cars
- Kia K4
- mazda 3 hatchback
- mazda 3 sedan
- nissan sentra
medium sized cars
- Hyundai Sonata
- Toyota Camry
medium size luxury car
big luxury car
- 2027 Audi A6 Sportback e-tron
- Genesis G80
small suv
- Genesis GV60
- Honda HR-V
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Hyundai Kona
- Hyundai Tucson
- kia sportage
- Mazda CX-30
- Mazda CX-50
- subaru forester
midsize suv
- honda passport
- Hyundai Ioniq 9
- Hyundai Santa Fe
- Kia EV9
- kia sorento
- Mazda CX-7
- Mazda CX-70 PHEV
- Mazda CX-90
- Mazda CX-90 PHEV
- nissan murano
- nissan pathfinder
- subaru climb
- subaru outback
midsize luxury suv
- Audi Q5
- Audi Q5 Sportback
- 2027 Audi Q6 e-tron
- 2027 Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron
- BMW X3
- BMW X5
- Genesis Electrified GV70
- Genesis GV70
- Genesis GV80
- Infiniti QX60
- lexus nx
big suv
big pickup
Which Cars Won Top Safety Pick Awards?
Eighteen cars were awarded the Top Safety Pick designation for 2026. The winners are:
small cars
- honda civic hatchback
- Hyundai Elantra
- toyota prius
medium sized cars
medium size luxury car
midsize suv
- Buick Enclave
- ford explorer
- Ford Mustang Mach-E
- volkswagen atlas
- Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
midsize luxury suv
- Lincoln Nautilus
- Mercedes-Benz GLC
- volvo xc90
- Volvo XC90 Plug-in Hybrid
big suv
- Audi Q7
- Infiniti QX80
- nissan armada
big pickup