Since Ralph Nader’s report in 1965 on the subject of manufacturers’ responsibility for road safety, progress has continued to be made, as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) annual challenge proves.
As usual, models from Asian brands take the biggest share of the 2024 awards, with 47 out of 71: 12 of the 22 TOP SAFETY PICKS+ and 35 of the TOP SAFETY PICKS.
Hyundai brands, including Genesis and Kia, lead the way in terms of numbers, followed by products from Toyota and Mazda, although the latter alone took 5 TOP SAFETY PICKS+.
These new results contrast to last year’s list, which fell by more than 50% due to stricter criteria.
No more C, D and E ratings
However, the 2024 winners stand out even more, thanks to an even more rigorous selection process, which generally leaves room only for excellence in terms of protection and driver assistance.
It should be noted that the impact tests now take into account, by adding two dummies, of the increased protection of front passengers and those seated behind the driver.
If manufacturers have reacted swiftly to the change in rules announced for 2022, it is to be expected that the 2025 ranking will confirm the trend towards a larger fleet of high-safety vehicles.
Increasingly enlightening
All the award-winning vehicles, which are more resistant to serious impacts, are equipped only with excellent or better-than-average performance headlamps and effective detection systems.
In the tables below, this is reflected in a clear increase in the number of A-rated headlamps, as well as a radical reduction in the number of B-rated versions.
In addition to these 3 tables, the following also includes a list of winners by vehicle category.
2024 winning brands
| MODELS | TOP SAFETY PICKS+ | TOP SAFETY PICKS | TOTAL |
| ACURA | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| AUDI | – | 5 | 5 |
| BMW | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| FORD | 1 | – | 1 |
| GENESIS | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| HONDA | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| HYUNDAI | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| INFINITI | – | 1 | 1 |
| JEEP | – | 2 | 2 |
| KIA | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| LEXUS | – | 5 | 5 |
| MAZDA | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| MERCEDES-BENZ | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| NISSAN | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| RIVIAN | – | 2 | 2 |
| SUBARU | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| TESLA | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| TOYOTA | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| VOLKSWAGEN | – | 2 | 2 |
| VOLVO | – | 2 | 2 |
| TOTALS | 22 | 49 | 71 |
| Descriptions | |
| 1 | Adaptive headlights |
| / | Number of versions with these headlights |
| 2 | Automatic headlights |
| 3 | Headlight performance |
| 4 | Pedestrian detection |
| + | Optional system |
| T | On all versions |
| A B C | Headlight and radar performance depending on version |
|
Models
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| ACURA Integra hatchback | – | √ | B | A |
| ACURA MDX | – | √ | A | B |
| BMW X3 | T | √ | A | A |
| FORD Explorer SUV | 1/4 | √ | B | B |
| GENESIS G80 électrifiée | – | √ | B | B |
| GENESIS GV60 SUV | – | √ | B | B |
| GENESIS GV80 SUV 1 | – | √ | B | B |
| HONDA Accord | – | √ | A | B |
| HONDA HR-V | – | √ | B | A |
| HYUNDAI Ioniq 6 | – | √ | B | A |
| HYUNDAI Kona SUV | – | √ | B | A |
| KIA Telluride SUV | – | √ | A | A |
| MAZDA 3 hatchback | 2/6 | √ | A-B | A |
| MAZDA 3 sedan | 1/6 | √ | A-B | A |
| MAZDA CX-30 SUV | 3/9 | √ | B | A |
| MAZDA CX-50 SUV 1 | 4/10 | √ | A-B | B |
| MAZDA CX-90 SUV | 3/8 | √ | A-B | A |
| MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 2 | – | √ | A | C-A* |
| NISSAN Pathfinder SUV 3 | – | √ | B | A |
| SUBARU Ascent | T | √ | A | A |
| TESLA Y SUV | – | √ | A | A |
| TOYOTA Prius hatchback | – | √ | B | A |
1 Manufactured after August 2023
2 Equipped with optional obstacle avoidance system
3 Manufactured after November 2023
|
Models |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| ACURA RDX SUV | – | √ | A | B |
| AUDI Q4 e-tron SUV | – | √ | A – B | B |
| AUDI Q4 Sportback e-tron SUV | – | √ | A – B | B |
| AUDI Q7 SUV | – | √ | A -B | B |
| AUDI Q8 e-tron SUV | – | √ | A – B | B |
| AUDI Q4 Sportback e-tron SUV | – | √ | A – B | B |
| BMW 5 Series | – | √ | A | A |
| BMW X1 SUV | – | √ | A | A |
| GENESIS G80 sedan | – | √ | B | B |
| GENESIS G90 sedan | – | √ | B | A |
| GENESIS Electrified GV70 SUV | – | √ | A | B |
| GENESIS GV70 SUV * | – | √ | A | B |
| HONDA CR-V SUV | – | √ | A | B |
| HONDA Pilot SUV | – | √ | A | A |
| HONDA Odyssey | – | √ | B | B |
| HYUNDAI Elantra | – | √ | A | A |
| HYUNDAI Ioniq 5 | – | √ | A – B | B |
| HYUNDAI Tucson | – | √ | B | A |
| HYUNDAI Palisade SUV | – | √ | A | A |
| HYUNDAI Santa Cruz Crue Cab | – | √ | A | B |
| INFINITI QX60 SUV | 1/4 | √ | A | A |
| JEEP Grand Cherokee SUV | – | √ | A – B | B |
| JEEP Grand Cherokee L SUV | – | √ | A – B | B |
| KIA Sportage | – | √ | B | B |
| LEXUS RZ SUV | – | √ | B | A |
| LEXUS UX SUV | – | √ | A | A |
| LEXUS NX SUV | 5/8 | √ | A | A |
| LEXUS NX Plug-in Hybrid SUV | – | √ | A | A |
| LEXUS RX SUV | – | √ | A | A |
| MAZDA CX-90 PHEV SUV | – | √ | B | A |
| MERCEDES-BENZ C sedan | 3/5 | √ | A- B | B – A* |
| MERCEDES-BENZ GLC SUV | 1/3 | √ | A | B* – A* |
| NISSAN Ariya | – | √ | B | A* – A |
| RIVIAN R1S SUV | – | √ | A | B |
| RIVIAN R1T Crew Cab | – | √ | A | B |
| SUBARU Impreza | √ | √ | A | A |
| SUBARU Outback | √ | √ | A | A |
| SUBARU Solterra | – | √ | A | A |
| TESLA Y AWD | – | √ | A | A |
| TOYOTA Prius Prime hatchback | – | √ | A – B | A |
| TOYOTA Camry sedan | – | √ | A – B | A |
| TOYOTA Crown sedan | – | √ | A – B | A |
| TOYOTA Highlander SUV | 2/8 | √ | A – B | A |
| TOYOTA Sienna | – | √ | A | B |
| TOYOTA Tundra | – | √ | A – B | B |
| TOYOTA Tundra long version | – | √ | A – B | B |
| VOLKSWAGEN Atlas SUV | √ | 2/4 | A | B |
| VOLKSWAGEN Atlas Cross Sport SUV | √ | 3/5 | A | B |
| VOLVO XC90 SUV | √ | √ | B | B |
| VOLVO XC90 Recharge SUV | √ | √ | B | B |
* Manufactured after November 2023
Winners by category
Compacts
- Acura Integra
- Mazda 3 hatchback
- Mazda 3 sedan
- Toyota Prius
Mid-size vehicles
- Honda Accord
- Hyundai Ioniq 6
Luxury sedans
- Genesis G80 électrifiée
Small SUVs
- Genesis GV60
- Honda HR-V
- Hyundai Kona
- Mazda CX-30
- Mazda CX-50 manufactured after August 2023
SUVs
- Ford Explorer
- Kia Telluride
- Mazda CX-90
- Nissan Pathfinder manufactured after November 2023
- Subaru Ascent
Premium SUVs
- Acura MDX
- BMW X3
- Genesis GV80 manufactured after August 2023
- Mercedes-Benz GLE with optional obstacle detection
- Tesla Model Y
Compacts
- Hyundai Elantra
- Subaru Impreza
- Toyota Prius Prime
Mid-size vehicles
- Subaru Outback
- Toyota Camry
Sedans
- Toyota Crown
Luxury mid-size
- BMW 5 Series
- Mercedes-Benz C
Luxury sedans
- Genesis G80
- Genesis G90
Small SUVs
- BMW X1
- Honda CR-V
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Hyundai Tucson
- Kia Sportage
- Lexus UX
- Lexus RZ
- Subaru Solterra
SUVs
- Honda Pilot
- Hyundai Palisade
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Jeep Grand Cherokee L
- Mazda CX-90 PHEV
- Nissan Ariya
- Toyota Highlander
- Volkswagen Atlas
- Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
Large SUVs
- Audi Q7
- Audi Q8 e-tron
- Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron
- Rivian R1S
Mid-size luxury SUVs
- Acura RDX
- Audi Q4 e-tron
- Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron
- Genesis Electrified GV70
- Genesis GV70 manufactured after November 2023
- Infiniti QX60
- Lexus NX
- Lexus NX Plug-in Hybrid
- Lexus RX
- Mercedes-Benz GLC
- Volvo XC90
- Volvo XC90 Recharge
Vans
- Honda Odyssey
- Toyota Sienna
Small pickup
- Hyundai Santa Cruz
Large pickup trucks
- Rivian R1T crew cab
- Toyota Tundra crew cab
- Toyota Tundra extended cab
Source: IIHS.org
