IIHS Announces Preliminary Top Safety Pick Award Winners for 2025
The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just released a preliminary list of the safest vehicles on the market in 2025.
Compared to the same time last year, the number of Top Safety Pick+ award winners has increased even though the IIHS has raised its requirements for rear passenger protection.
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Thirty-six 2025 models secured the organization’s most prestigious award, compared to 22 in 2024 and 28 in 2023. All of them earned a good rating (not just an acceptable rating) in the updated moderate overlap front crash test, which adds a second dummy seated behind the driver and emphasizes rear seat safety.
“We’re once again challenging automakers to make their new models even safer than those they were building a year ago,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “Every vehicle that earns a 2025 award offers a high level of safety in both the front seat and the second row.”
For the Top Safety Pick+ award, the IIHS also requires a good rating in the small overlap front crash as well as the updated side crash test, plus good or acceptable headlight performance and pedestrian front crash prevention.
Here is the full preliminary list of winners for 2025:
Audi Q7
BMW X5
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Genesis GV60
Genesis GV70 (built after April 2024, including Electrified GV70)
Genesis GV80
Honda Accord
Honda Civic Hatchback
Honda HR-V
Hyundai IONIQ 5
Hyundai IONIQ 6
Hyundai Kona
Hyundai Santa Fe (built after November 2024)
Hyundai Tucson
Infiniti QX80
Kia EV9
Kia Telluride
Lincoln Nautilus
Mazda3 (including Mazda3 Sport)
Mazda CX-30
Mazda CX-50
Mazda CX-70 (including PHEV)
Mazda CX-90 (including PHEV)
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Mercedes-Benz GLC
Mercedes-Benz GLE (with optional front crash prevention)
Nissan Pathfinder
Rivian R1S (built after August 2024)
Subaru Solterra
Toyota Camry
Toyota Tundra
Volvo XC90 (built after December 2024)
“The new emphasis on back seat protection appears to have winnowed minivans and pickups from the winners’ ranks,” Harkey said. “That’s unfortunate, considering that minivans are marketed as family haulers and extended cab and crew cab pickups are often used for that purpose.”
Only a dozen 2025 models received the lower-tier Top Safety Pick award. Keep in mind that the list of recipients for both awards is bound to grow since a number of vehicles have yet to be tested. The IIHS will publish a final list of Top Safety Pick+ and Top Safety Pick award winners in December.