Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released its latest safety results for 16 new models, but only two of them achieved the authority’s Top Safety Pick+ award. Those are the 2026 Hyundai Palisade and 2026 Toyota Prius, which achieved near-perfect crashworthiness and crash-prevention scores. For the Palisade particularly, it's a much-needed stamp of approval from the IIHS after the SUV experienced reputation-damaging issues with its rear seats earlier in the year. However, the results also show a trend of imperfect scores in the agency’s moderate overlap front tests. Let’s take a deeper dive into the latest safety scores.Related: Toyota Corolla Vs. Mazda 3 Vs. Honda Civic: Which Is Safest?Palisade and Prius On TopIn order to achieve the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle has to meet the following criteria:AdvertisementAdvertisementGood ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and side crash testsAcceptable or Good ratings for headlightsGood rating for pedestrian front crash preventionAcceptable or Good ratings for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash preventionThe Palisade and Prius were the only two models from a new batch of 16 to meet these standards. The only minor blemish between then was an Acceptable score for the Prius hatchback’s headlights.The Hyundai Palisade’s top safety award may raise some eyebrows, given that it was recalled earlier this year and put under a stop-sale order after a fatal incident involving its rear seat. In that tragedy, the seat pinned a two-year-old girl after failing to detect her, eventually leading to her death. This, of course, was a specific fault which Hyundai remedied, so does not factor into the IIHS’ regular safety tests.Only Palisades built after November 2025 qualify for the Top Safety Pick+ award, as they received changes to their rear seat belt buckles. AdvertisementAdvertisementRelated: Ford F-150 Vs. Chevy Silverado 1500 Vs. Ram 1500: Which Pickup Is The Safest?Many Models Struggle in One Safety TestIn the latest moderate front overlap crash test, whereby an offset crash is represented between two vehicles, many models have struggled. In 2022, this test was updated to include back-seat protection, and it’s in this area where otherwise safe vehicles are falling short. Two Fords, four Toyotas, and one Kia only attained a Marginal rating in this test, while two models—the Honda Ridgeline and Jeep Compass—scored a Poor rating.Of all 16 vehicles with new IIHS scores, the Ridgeline pickup has the worst overall results, with three Poor ratings (moderate front overlap and both crash-prevention tests), a Marginal headlight rating, and a merely Acceptable rating for the small overlap front test.Another insight is that pricier luxury brands don’t necessarily make the safest cars. The BMW i4 has two Poor ratings, while the 3 Series has two Marginal ratings. What It Means2026 Toyota PriusJoe SantosView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Toyota Prius and Hyundai Palisade are two completely different vehicles: One is a small hatchback and the other is a large three-row crossover. These latest IIHS results show that vehicle size and body style have little bearing on how safe a specific model is. While it’s disappointing that only two of 16 models achieved a safety award, one must bear in mind that the IIHS regularly updates its safety standards, so what may have been a solid result three years ago may not be today. By keeping manufacturers on their toes, the consumer benefits from the safest possible vehicles.This story was originally published by Autoblog on May 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.