IIHS pushes improvements in crash avoidance with 2026 awards (IIHS)
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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is pushing automakers to improve their crash avoidance systems and demanding superior protection for back seat passengers in the 2026 award season.
Even with tougher rules, 63 vehicles qualify for IIHS awards so far. That is up from 48 at the same point last year. Of the winners, 45 earn a TOP SAFETY PICK+ and 18 earn a TOP SAFETY PICK. Many of these vehicles start below $30,000, showing that strong safety does not have to come with a high price tag.
“This year, we’re asking automakers to make excellent protection for back seat passengers the norm,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “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.”
The Institute updated its moderate overlap front test in 2022 to emphasize back seat safety. Last year, vehicles needed a good rating in this test to earn TOP SAFETY PICK+ but only an acceptable rating to earn TOP SAFETY PICK. For 2026, a good rating is required for either award.
The crash avoidance requirements for the base award are the same as last year — an acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention test. For TOP SAFETY PICK+, however, vehicles must earn a good rating in that test and an acceptable or good rating in the updated vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention evaluation that was introduced last year. In another change, qualifying front crash prevention systems must be standard for either award in 2026.
As before, good ratings in the small overlap front and side tests are required for both awards, and all trims must come with acceptable- or good-rated headlights.
This year’s winners include a variety of models, ranging from small cars to large pickups and from economy cars to luxury vehicles. The manufacturer suggested retail prices for more than a dozen TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners start under $30,000, with the Kia K4 starting at just $22,290.
SUVs of different sizes make up 35 of the 45 total TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners and 12 of the 18 TOP SAFETY PICKs. The cheapest small SUV is the Hyundai Kona, which starts at $25,500. While all three large SUVs cost more than $55,000, several midsize SUVs have base prices under $40,000.
No minicars, minivans or small pickups earn awards this year. Only two large pickups qualify: the Tesla Cybertruck and Toyota Tundra crew cab. For many other models in these categories, back seat performance in the moderate overlap test remains a challenge.
