4 More Cars Win Top Safety Awards. Judges Want More Improvements

Three more SUVs and one sedan qualified for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick+ designation, the highest award from the group representing the insurance industry. But five others that were recently tested missed the cut.

IIHS said when it announced its initial list of 45 Top Safety Pick award winners in March 2026 that it is now “pushing automakers to improve their crash avoidance systems and demanding superior protection for back seat passengers” as it presented the 2026 safety awards to dozens of vehicles.

“This year, we’re asking automakers to make excellent protection for back seat passengers the norm,” IIHS President David Harkey said then. “For TOP SAFETY PICK+, we’re requiring crash avoidance systems that are better at preventing pedestrian crashes as well as higher-speed crashes with other vehicles.”

With the latest round of awards, SUVs made up 38 of the 49 winners for the Top Safety Pick+ award this year, and 12 of the 18 Top Safety Pick winners. IIHS noted in the spring that its 2026 Top Safety Pick+ winners start under $30,000, with the Kia K4 being 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 concerning, as the vehicles have historically been viewed as family cars.

“It’s disappointing that minivans continue to struggle to provide the best available protection for passengers in the back, considering that these are supposed to be family vehicles,” Harkey said. “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: $64,100What they said: IIHS said “the A6 was redesigned for the current model year,” and in addition to meeting the 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: $43,975What they said: IIHS said that “the X1 arrives in the winner’s circle thanks to a good rating in the moderate overlap front crash test, which it had not undergone earlier.”

Mazda CX-5IIHS Rating: TOP SAFETY PICK+Starting Price: $29,990What they said: IIHS said that “the CX-5 was also redesigned for 2026. It notches a ‘plus’ with the help of good ratings in the vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention evaluation and the pedestrian crash prevention test.”

Subaru Crosstrek HybridIIHS Rating: TOP SAFETY PICK+Starting Price: $33,995What they said: IIHS said that the “Crosstrek Hybrid is a new launch.” The group said in addition to meeting the other requirements for the plus, the Crosstrek Hybrid earned a good rating in the vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention evaluation.

“Unlike most non-plug-in hybrids, the Crosstrek Hybrid is rated separately from the conventional Crosstrek because of differences in their structures and restraints,” IIHS said.

What Type of Crash Test Was Conducted on the Cars?

The newly awarded vehicles received good or acceptable ratings in the following tests:

Small overlap front
Moderate overlap front
Side
Headlights

IIHS said the vehicles also received good ratings in the following tests:

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Seat belt reminders
LATCH ease of use

Which Cars Missed the Cut?

IIHS said it tested the following cars, and they failed to achieve enough good or acceptable ratings to be named Top Safety Pick+ or Top Safety Pick winners:

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

Midsize cars

Hyundai Sonata
Toyota Camry

Midsize luxury car

Large luxury car

2027 Audi A6 Sportback e-tron
Genesis G80

Small SUVs

Genesis GV60
Honda HR-V
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Hyundai Kona
Hyundai Tucson
Kia Sportage
Mazda CX-30
Mazda CX-50
Subaru Forester

Midsize SUVs

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 Ascent
Subaru Outback

Midsize luxury SUVs

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

Large SUVs

Large Pickups