Tesla Model Y Nails IIHS Crash Tests, Earns Highest Safety AwardGuessing HeadlightsAndre NalinFri, September 11, 2026 at 9:00 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleImage Credit: IIHS / YouTube.The refreshed Tesla Model Y has received another major endorsement, this time for how well it protects occupants when things go wrong. The electric crossover has completed the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's latest round of testing with an impressive set of results.According to the IIHS, the 2026 Tesla Model Y qualifies for its highest Top Safety Pick+ award, earning the organization's top "Good" rating across every crashworthiness evaluation required for the designation.Tesla's bestseller also performed strongly in tests designed to prevent crashes in the first place. Its headlights and automatic emergency braking systems received top marks, including evaluations involving pedestrians and motorcycles.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Model Y wasn't perfect across every category, however. Two secondary assessments exposed room for improvement, although neither prevented it from securing the IIHS's highest overall safety accolade.Model Y Aces The Crash TestsImage Credit: IIHS / YouTube.The IIHS awarded the Model Y "Good" ratings in the small overlap front, updated moderate overlap front, and updated side impact tests. The small overlap evaluation simulates a 40-mph crash in which only 25% of the vehicle's front end strikes the barrier.The updated moderate overlap test also places a dummy in the second row to examine protection for rear-seat occupants. According to the IIHS results, the Model Y maintained its occupant compartment well while the restraint systems controlled movement of both front and rear passengers.During the test, maximum footwell intrusion measured around 2.4 inches at the brake pedal, while steering-column movement remained limited. Importantly, the rear dummy avoided excessive contact with the front seatback, and its seatbelt remained correctly positioned.Strong Performance In A Side ImpactThe updated IIHS side test is deliberately demanding, using a heavier barrier traveling at 37 mph to better represent modern SUVs striking another vehicle. Once again, the Model Y received a "Good" overall rating.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe passenger compartment maintained substantial survival space during the collision. IIHS measurements showed the B-pillar remained well away from the longitudinal centerline of the driver's seat, indicating that intrusion into the occupant area was effectively controlled.Its Crash-Avoidance Tech Also Scores WellImage Credit: IIHS / YouTube.Crash protection is only one part of earning Top Safety Pick+. The IIHS also evaluates whether a vehicle can avoid or reduce the severity of collisions through lighting and automatic emergency braking technology.The Model Y earned a "Good" headlight rating across its available trims. Its standard front crash-prevention technology also received "Good" results in evaluations involving other vehicles, pedestrians, and motorcycles.Those results are particularly significant as IIHS requirements have become increasingly demanding. Strong crash structures alone are no longer sufficient to earn the organization's highest award.There Is Still Room For ImprovementThe Model Y's weaker scores came in areas outside the main crashworthiness evaluations. Its seatbelt reminder system was rated "Marginal," with the IIHS identifying the duration of its audible and visual warnings as an issue.AdvertisementAdvertisementIts LATCH child-seat anchor system received an "Acceptable" rating. The lower anchors were considered too deeply recessed into the seats, potentially making them less convenient to access when installing a child restraint.Neither result was enough to overshadow the Model Y's performance in the major safety categories. With top marks for crashworthiness, headlights, and collision avoidance, the refreshed crossover has earned the strongest safety designation currently offered by the IIHS.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.