Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Names Its Safest Cars for 2024

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety names its safest cars for 2024 with the list covering every vehicle segment while also shining a light on how much vehicle safety has improved since the IIHS undertook its efforts to help automakers improve the safety of their vehicles.

Vehicle safety has rapidly become a key focus for many automakers as they attempt to produce a new generation of vehicles that are not only faster and smarter than ever before thanks to the introduction of new vehicle technologies, but also safer due to numerous innovations in safety technology. The organization has released its list of the safest automobiles of 2024 as it prepares to further update its testing procedures.

The list builds on progress that the IIHS has made in its crash testing regimen with the organization constantly updating and refining its crash tests to better reflect the changing needs of the new vehicle market. This is especially true with the rise of EVs and how the IIHS has had to adjust some of its tests to account for their heavy curb weights as well as the large size of some models like the Hummer EV.

What makes a car eligible for an IIHS safety award?

The IIHS issues two awards during each testing year, The Top Safety Pick and the Top Safety Pick +. Both of these awards have strict criteria which must be met before a vehicle can receive either of these awards. In order to earn a Top Safety Pick award a vehicle must receive:

• Good ratings in the small overlap front test
• Good rating in the original moderate overlap front test
• Good rating in the updated side test
• Acceptable or good ratings for the standard headlights
• Acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention test

Meanwhile, the Top Safety Pick + Award turns it up a notch and all vehicles gunning for this honor must receive these additional ratings on top of the existing Safety Pick ratings to get bumped up to this award:

• Good ratings in the small overlap test
• Acceptable or good score in the updated moderate overlap front test
• Good rating in the updated side test
• Acceptable or good ratings for the standard headlights
• Acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention test

More Vehicle Safety Stories

• IIHS Tightens Requirements for Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick + Awards
• Hyundai Motor Group, Toyota and Mazda Dominate as IIHS Names 22 Top Safety Picks
• Minivans Aren’t as Safe as You Might Think

Which vehicles are the safest?

The vehicles that the IIHS picked for 2024 cover a wide array of vehicle segments and while recent changes the organization made to some of its testing procedures disqualified vehicles that used to qualify for both awards, the list of assembled vehicles is still a very large snapshot of the present automotive market.

Top Safety Pick 2024

Small Cars

• 2024 Hyundai Elantra
• 2024 Subaru Impreza
• 2024 Toyota Prius Prime

Midsize Cars

• 2024 Hyundai Sonata
• 2024 Subaru Outback
• 2024 Toyota Camry

Midsize Luxury Cars

• 2024 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Large Cars

• 2024 BMW 5 Series

Small SUVs

• 2024 BMW X1
• 2024 BMW X2
• 2024 Honda CR-V
• 2024 Hyundai Tucson
• 2024 Kia Sportage
• 2024 Lexus UX
• 2024 Lexus RZ
• 2024 Subaru Solterra

Midsize SUVs

• 2024 Honda Pilot
• 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe
• 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee
• 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L
• 2024 Kia EV9
• 2024 Kia Sorento
• 2025 Mazda CX-70 and CX-70 PHEV
• 2024 Nissan Ariya
• 2024 Toyota Highlander
• 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport
• 2024 Volkswagen ID.4

Midsize Luxury SUVs

• 2024 Acura RDX
• 2024 Acura Q4 e-tron SUV and Sportback
• 2025 BMW X5
• 2024 Genesis Electrified GV70
• 2024 Genesis GV70
• 2024 Infiniti QX60
• 2024 Lexus NX and NX PHEV
• 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
• 2024 Tesla Model Y
• 2024 Volvo XC90 and XC90 Recharge

Large SUVs

• 2024 Audi Q7
• 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron SUV and Sportback
• 2024 Jeep Wagoneer
• 2024 Rivian R1S

Minivans

• 2024 Honda Odyssey
• 2024 Toyota Sienna

Small Pickups

• 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz
• 2024 Toyota Tacoma

Large Pickups

• Toyota Tundra Crew Cab and Extended Cab

Top Safety Pick +

Small Cars

• 2024 Acura Integra
• 2024 Toyota Prius
• 2024 Mazda 3 Hatchback and Sedan

Midsize Cars

• 2024 Honda Accord
• 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6

Large Luxury Cars

• 2024 Genesis G80 Electrified
• 2024 Genesis G80
• 2024 Genesis G90

Safest Small SUVs

• 2024 Genesis GV60
• 2024 Honda HR-V
• 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5
• 2024 Hyundai Kona
• 2024 Mazda CX-30
• 2024 Mazda CX-50

Safest Midsize SUVs

• 2024 Ford Explorer
• 2024 Honda Pilot
• 2024 Kia Telluride
• 2024 Mazda CX-90 and CX-90 PHEV
• 2024 Nissan Pathfinder
• 2024 Subaru Ascent

Safest Midsize Luxury SUVs

• 2024 Acura MDX
• 2024 BMW X3
• 2024 Genesis GV80
• 2024 Lincoln Nautilus
• 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
• 2024 Tesla Model Y

Safest Large Pickups

• 2024 Rivian R1T