63 vehicles have earned iihs safety awrds so far in 2026 The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released its awards for 2026, with 63 vehicles qualifying. To earn award status, a vehicle needs to achieve a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS based on collision avoidance and crash test data. The requirements to win the Top Safety Pick award remained the same this year. A vehicle needs an acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention test, while good ratings for the small overlap front and side tests, as well as headlights, are required. To get a Top Safety Pick+, vehicles need a good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention test and an acceptable or good rating in the vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention evaluation. 63 vehicles have earned iihs safety awrds so far in 2026 That vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention test is new this year, with a greater focus on rear seat passenger safety. As stated by the IIHS, the new test differs by: "The original evaluation, which was discontinued in 2022, focused on rear-end crashes at lower speeds using only a passenger car target. The new evaluation includes test runs at 31, 37 and 43 mph (50, 60 and 70 kilometers per hour). In addition to a passenger car target, it examines performance with a motorcycle target and a semitrailer." Big Increase for 2026 63 vehicles have earned iihs safety awrds so far in 2026 Once all the data was compiled and tallied, 63 vehicles qualified for an IIHS award so far. That's a healthy increase from last year, when a mere 48 had qualified up until this point in the year. Of the 63 vehicles, 18 earn the Top Safety Pick award while 45 earn the Top Safety Pick+ award. "This year, we're asking automakers to make excellent protection for back seat passengers the norm," IIHS President David Harkey said. "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." Affordability Not an Issue, Body Style Is 2026 Polestar 4: All the Details 63 vehicles have earned iihs safety awrds so far in 2026 The most affordable vehicle to win an award is the 2026 Kia K4 with a starting price of $22,290 before destination charges. The most affordable SUV is the Hyundai Kona, which starts at $25,500, once again before destination charges. Nearly every segment of vehicles is included amongst the winners below, but there are a few exceptions. No minicars, minivans, or small pickups earn awards this year, and just two full-size trucks did as well. "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." Top Safety Pick+ Winners: 63 vehicles have earned iihs safety awrds so far in 2026 Small Cars Kia K4 Mazda 3 hatchback Mazda 3 sedan Nissan Sentra Midsize Cars Hyundai Sonata Toyota Camry Midsize Luxury Car Audi A5 Large Luxury Car 2027 Audi A6 Sportback e-tron Genesis G80 built after June 2025 Small SUVs Genesis GV60 Honda HR-V Hyundai Ioniq 5 Hyundai Kona Hyundai Tucson Kia Sportage built after May 2025 Mazda CX-30 Mazda CX-50 Subaru Forester Midsize SUVs Honda Passport Hyundai Ioniq 9 Hyundai Santa Fe Kia EV9 Kia Sorento built after September 2025 Mazda CX-70 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 Rivian R1S Volvo EX90 Large Pickup Tesla Cybertruck Top Safety Pick Winners: 63 vehicles have earned iihs safety awrds so far in 2026 Small Cars Honda Civic hatchback Hyundai Elantra Toyota Prius Midsize Car Honda Accord Midsize Luxury Car Mercedes-Benz C-Class Midsize SUVs Buick Enclave Ford Explorer Ford Mustang Mach-E Volkswagen Atlas Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Midsize Luxury SUVs Lincoln Nautilus Mercedes-Benz GLC Volvo XC90 Volvo XC90 Plug-in Hybrid Large SUVs Audi Q7 Infiniti QX80 Nissan Armada Large Pickup Toyota Tundra crew cab Bugatti Honors 20 Years of Supercar Revolution with the One-Off F.K.P