Seven EVs Were Crash-Tested by IIHS, See How They Fared
The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which conducts crash tests on all new motor vehicles, recently tested seven EVs and found that two of them struggled with rear passenger protection.
Four earned a Good rating in the moderate overlap test, where the vehicle strikes a stationary barrier at 40 mph (64 km/h) with 40 percent of its front end overlapping the barrier. They include the BMW i4, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Tesla Cybertruck (built after April 2025) and Volkswagen ID. Buzz. The Tesla Model 3 received an Acceptable rating.
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According to the IIHS, all these vehicles provide excellent protection for the driver and solid protection for rear passengers. In the case of the Model 3, however, measurements taken from the rear dummy indicate a somewhat elevated risk of chest injuries due to high belt forces.
The same crash test didn’t go so well for the Ford F-150 Lightning and Nissan Ariya, which came away with a Marginal or Poor rating, respectively. While they offer good protection for the driver, it’s a different story when it comes to protecting passengers in the rear.
Measurements taken from the rear dummy in the F-150 Lightning showed a high risk of not only chest injuries but also injuries to the head or neck. What’s more, the rear dummy’s lap belt moved from the ideal position on the pelvis onto the abdomen, which increases the risk of internal injuries.
Meanwhile, the Ariya’s restraints worked well to control the motion of the rear dummy during the crash, the IIHS discovered, but injury metrics showed a high risk of chest injuries.
Each of these seven EVs earned a Good or Acceptable rating for pedestrian collision prevention. However, none impressed with their headlight performance. Most of them only managed an Acceptable rating, while the i4 and Cybertruck failed the test.
Incidentally, only the Ariya and Blazer EV have undergone all the tests required for the IIHS’ prestigious Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards, but neither is good enough to secure one. Though they are still missing some other results, the headlight ratings of the i4 and Cybertruck and the moderate overlap rating of the F-150 Lightning eliminate those models from consideration for an award, as well.
Visit the IIHS website or check out the photo gallery at the top of the page to see the full results. Earlier this year, we also posted a separate story listing the IIHS' safest vehicles for 2025.