Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
05/14/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/13/2026 22:19
Two more models earn Top Safety Pick+
Two additional models earn awards in latest IIHS ratings
New test results propel the 2026 Hyundai Palisade and the 2026 Toyota Prius to the highest tier of IIHS award winners.
By
May 14, 2026
Two more vehicles, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade and the 2026 Toyota Prius, qualify for the highest award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Palisade notches a 2026 Top Safety Pick+ award thanks to improved performance in the moderate overlap front crash test. The Prius, which earlier earned the lower-tier Top Safety Pick award, jumps to "plus" status based on a new result in the updated vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention evaluation.
New ratings for 14 other models that do not qualify for either award are also available.
To qualify for either award this year, vehicles need good ratings in the moderate overlap front, small overlap front and side crash tests and acceptable- or good-rated headlights across all trim levels.
For Top Safety Pick, the only other requirement is an acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash test. To earn the "plus," vehicles need a good rating in that evaluation as well as an acceptable or good rating in the updated vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention evaluation that was introduced last year. Qualifying front crash prevention systems must be standard for either award.
Only Palisades built after November 2025, when Hyundai made changes to the rear seat belt buckles, qualify for Top Safety Pick+. Vehicles built earlier don't earn either accolade due to an acceptable rating in the moderate overlap test.
The Prius earned a Top Safety Pick when the first batch of 2026 winners was announced in March. At the time, it missed out on the "plus" because it had not undergone the updated vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention test. With the results of that evaluation now available, all 2026 models qualify for the "plus."
Two additional IIHS evaluations - seat belt reminders and LATCH ease of use - are not part of the award criteria but are included in the table below. Consumers may wish to factor them into their purchase decisions.
Complete ratings for 16 recently tested vehicles
|
Vehicle Name
|
Small overlap front | Moderate overlap front | Side | Headlights | Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0 | Front crash prevention: pedestrian | Seat belt reminders | LATCH ease of use |
| Top Safety Pick +2026 Hyundai PalisadeMidsize SUVBuilt after November 2025 |
G
|
G
|
G
|
G
|
G
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
G
|
G+
|
| Top Safety Pick +2026 Toyota PriusSmall car |
G
|
G
|
G
|
A
|
G
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
G
|
G+
|
| 2026 Audi A3 sedanMidsize luxury car |
G
|
G
|
not rated
|
A
|
G
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
P
|
G
|
| 2026 BMW 3 seriesMidsize luxury car |
G
|
A
|
not rated
|
A
|
M
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
M
|
G
|
|
2026 BMW i4Midsize luxury car
Fully electric - no gas tank
|
G
|
G
|
not rated
|
MP
|
P
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
M
|
G
|
| 2026 Chevrolet EquinoxSmall SUV |
A
|
G
|
G
|
G
|
A
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
G
|
G
|
| 2026 Ford Maverick crew cabSmall pickup |
G
|
M
|
G
|
GA
|
A
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
not rated
|
A
|
| 2026 Ford Ranger crew cabSmall pickup |
G
|
M
|
A
|
AM
|
not rated
|
not rated
|
G
|
P
|
| 2026 Honda Ridgeline crew cabSmall pickup |
A
|
P
|
G
|
M
|
P
standard system
|
P
standard system
|
not rated
|
A
|
| 2026 Kia K4 hatchbackSmall car |
G
|
M
|
G
|
A
|
A
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
A
|
not rated
|
| 2026 Jeep CompassSmall SUV |
G
|
P
|
M
|
A
|
M
standard system
|
A
standard system
|
M
|
M
|
| 2026 Nissan Frontier crew cabSmall pickup |
G
|
G
|
A
|
AM
|
P
standard system
|
A
standard system
|
G
|
M
|
| 2026 Toyota 4RunnerMidsize SUVBuilt after January 2026 |
G
|
M
|
G
|
GA
|
G
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
G
|
G+
|
| 2026 Toyota Corolla sedanSmall car |
G
|
M
|
G
|
G
|
G
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
G
|
G+
|
| 2026 Toyota Land CruiserMidsize SUV |
G
|
M
|
G
|
GM
|
G
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
G
|
A
|
| 2026 Toyota SequoiaLarge SUV |
G
|
M
|
G
|
GP
|
M
standard system
|
G
standard system
|
not rated
|
G
|
-
G
Good
-
A
Acceptable
-
M
Marginal
-
P
Poor
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Insurance Institute for Highway Safety published this content on May 14, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 14, 2026 at 04:20 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]