UPDATE: March 25, 2026 Added official statements from Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis regarding the IIHS awards.The frosty relationship between Detroit automakers and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety hasn't thawed, based on only four Detroit-brand vehicles winning Top Safety Pick awards from the non-profit organization that crash tests new vehicles as a way to improve road safety. That's four out of a total of 63 vehicles awarded. And nothing from Detroit received the highest rating, the Top Safety Pick + award.Topping the list is Mazda, winning eight IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus awards, from the Mazda 3 hatchback and sedan to the CX-90 and CX-90 plug-in hybrid SUVs. Nearly the automaker's entire US roster was recognized. And how about those Koreans? The Hyundai brand earned seven, Genesis got five and Kia won four.For 2026, only four vehicles from Detroit automakers – the Buick Enclave, Ford Explorer, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Lincoln Nautilus – earned IIHS Top Safety Picks, and they still missed out on the Top Safety Pick +. It's been several years since a Ford pickup has earned an IIHS top safety award, but the Tesla Cybertruck is recognized this year. What's going on here, and how should consumers read these results?Not earning this award doesn't mean a particular vehicle or brand is unsafe, but it suggests some other vehicles are safer. Is engineering work being done in Detroit to make improvements? Or, do the automakers see a problem with IIHS testing methodology? Jeeps, Dodge Not Tested Jeep Analysts say product cadence has a lot to do with the results because vehicles that launched several years ago do not always perform well, as the IIHS consistently ratchets up the crash test requirements from year to year. "The IIHS hasn’t tested a number of the newer Stellantis models, including the Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wagoneer S, and Dodge Charger," Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting for AutoForecast Solutions, tells CarBuzz. "This leaves older designs where they haven’t been upgraded for the moderate overlap test.""Quite a few of the models given Top Safety Pick awards have been significantly redesigned in recent years."–AutoForecast VP Sam FioraniFiorani says all automakers are reassessing their near-term plans, which will include updating a number of current models to extend their lifespan. "In these updates, they should focus on keeping them competitive into the next decade, and that will require reinforcing the areas around the engine to score higher on the moderate overlap tests. Improvements in lighting and crash avoidance are coming, but it’s the less visible structural updates that are key to getting these vehicles into the good graces of the IIHS." Meeting IIHS Standards As IIHS test criteria changes, often annually to account for emerging safety technologies, the organization has flagged Detroit automakers for trailing their rivals in areas such as protecting pedestrians and second- and third-row occupants. Detroit automakers often focus on complying with the law of the land: the FMVSS standards governed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.This year, IIHS requires a "good" rating on its newest, updated moderate overlap crash test, which focuses on second-row restraint systems. "And that requirement has knocked a couple of models from GM off this year's list, including the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia," IIHS spokesperson Joe Young tells CarBuzz. "Both models earn acceptable ratings in that test but would otherwise qualify for 2026 Top Safety Picks."IIHS What must be frustrating for Detroit executives is being completely shut out of the segment they dominate: full-size pickup trucks and SUVs. This year, multiple issues prevented the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 from being honored, including marginal ratings in IIHS' small overlap crash test, which most models have aced for years, Young says."In this case, I think it's fair to say these models are lagging behind other large pickups in terms of safety."–IIHS Spokesperson Joe Young Detroit Automakers Respond FordCarBuzz contacted Stellantis, Ford, and General Motors regarding this year's IIHS picks and the current methodology in general. Each company responded, starting with Stellantis"Stellantis regularly reviews third-party safety evaluations, including IIHS results. Real-world vehicle safety remains central to our product development process, and we are committed to delivering vehicles that support evolving customer expectations for safety, quality and the overall ownership experience."Ford's statement:"Safety is a top priority. Ford is proud that the 2026 Explorer, Mustang Mach-E, and Lincoln Nautilus have earned the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK award. While the IIHS has significantly raised the bar this year with tougher requirements for back-seat safety and advanced crash avoidance at higher speeds, we view these evolving standards as a vital challenge to continue innovating for our customers. We are already integrating the insights from these new, more rigorous tests into our engineering processes to enhance the safety performance of our entire lineup."General Motors:We’re proud of IIHS’s Top Safety Pick recognition of 2026 Buick Enclave that also achieved a five-star safety rating in NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program.The safety of our products is the highest priority for the entire GM team. We are confident in the safety of our vehicles as they undergo rigorous internal testing to meet or exceed all applicable standards set by regulatory authorities, such as NHTSA. We also value the IIHS ratings, and we design our vehicles to perform well in the various IIHS evaluation conditions. Winners, Losers, And The System IIHS This year's 63 award winners result from IIHS crash ratings for 175 2026 model-year vehicles (including 37 from Detroit), though some have incomplete ratings, Young says. "Where there are missing ratings, we try to prioritize filling out those for higher-volume sellers first. We also give the automakers opportunities to nominate vehicles for testing if it's a newer model or one that they'd like to have tested sooner than we'd otherwise get to it."Analyst Sam Abuelsamid sees IIHS continually ratcheting up crash standards because too many vehicles get top ratings."Frankly, a lot of the products from Detroit are a bit long in the tooth, especially those from Ford and Stellantis."–Telemetry Vice President Sam AbuelsamidIt certainly doesn't help that Detroit brands have abandoned segments such as compact and midsize cars, taking them completely out of contention there. "But even in crossovers, they clearly haven’t done particularly well," Abuelsamid says via email to CarBuzz.He doubts any automakers question the IIHS testing methodology, which is based on science and leverages data that they have on crash statistics. "They know the types of claims that member insurance companies are paying out and then devising tests to evaluate that," such as the small overlap rigid barrier test."This year, we’re asking automakers to make excellent protection for back seat passengers the norm,” IIHS President David Harkey says. “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.”Stellantris Media No minicars, minivans, or small pickups earned awards this year, and IIHS says back-seat performance in the moderate overlap test remains a challenge for vehicles in these categories. You can view all the 2026 IIHS award winners at the source link below.