Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Safety is one area where all three of these SUVs start from a strong base, with standard automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, and adaptive cruise control. The gap shows up in the details, specifically in how each performs under the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's toughened crash tests and how much protective technology comes standard. Weighing the current IIHS awards, crash-test results, and driver-assistance features, the Genesis GV70 comes out on top, with the Volvo close behind and the Acura a step back.2026 Genesis GV70GenesisIIHS crash-test performanceThe clearest separator is the IIHS award status. The GV70 earns the 2026 Top Safety Pick+, the Institute's highest honor, which now requires good ratings in the small overlap front, updated moderate overlap front, and side tests, plus a good rating in pedestrian front crash prevention and acceptable or good headlights across all trims. Clearing that raised bar puts the Genesis in elite company.2026 Volvo XC90VolvoThe Volvo XC60 performs strongly too, with good scores across most crashworthiness tests, though its results fall a shade short of the plus tier under the newest criteria, held back partly by headlight performance that varies by trim. The RDX is the outlier: it earned Top Safety Pick+ recognition a couple of years ago, but as the IIHS tightened its standards, the aging Acura dropped off the current award list. That does not make it unsafe, but it no longer sits at the front of the class.2026 Acura RDXAcuraStandard safety technologyEvery one of these SUVs comes with a comprehensive suite of driver aids, so the question is depth rather than presence. Genesis fits its forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-following assist, and highway driving assistance as standard, and the brand has built a reputation for loading in technology that rivals charge extra for.2026 Volvo XC90VolvoAdvertisementAdvertisementVolvo remains synonymous with safety, and the XC60 carries the company's City Safety collision-avoidance system as standard, along with run-off-road mitigation and oncoming-lane protection that reflect decades of real-world crash research. The RDX includes the AcuraWatch bundle with automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping, which was competitive at its launch but has been matched or exceeded by newer designs. All three protect their occupants well; the Genesis and Volvo simply bring the more complete and current packages.2026 Acura RDXAcuraReal-world protection and pedigreeCrash scores tell part of the story, and brand track record fills in the rest. Volvo's identity is built on occupant protection, and the XC60 benefits from that engineering culture even where a single test result does not top the chart. It is the kind of vehicle that inspires confidence in a bad-weather emergency, and buyers who weigh heritage heavily will find a lot to like.2026 Genesis Electrified GV70GenesisThe GV70 answers that pedigree with sheer test performance, backing its luxury with the current top-tier award and a full complement of standard aids. The RDX, by contrast, is nearing the end of a long production run, and while it remains a solid and pleasant SUV to drive, its safety credentials have been overtaken by newer rivals that were engineered against the latest, harder standards.So which one is the safest?The Genesis GV70 is the safest of the three. It is the only one here to earn the 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, and it pairs that result with a generous set of standard driver-assistance features, making it the clear choice for a buyer who puts crash protection first. The Volvo XC60 is the pick for someone who values Volvo's long safety heritage and standard collision-avoidance tech and is comfortable being a small step behind on the very latest award. The Acura RDX remains a competent and enjoyable luxury SUV and a reasonable choice for a buyer drawn to its driving character or value, but on pure safety, it now trails, and anyone shopping primarily for protection should look to the Genesis first.AdvertisementAdvertisementThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Jul 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Car Buying section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.