IIHS Unveils Vehicle Safety Award List for 2025

The annual list of safest vehicles, put out by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), is a big deal, and carmakers compete to be on it.

Each year, the requirements to make the "Top Safety Pick" and elite "Top Safety Pick+" lists usually get a little tougher, although for 2025, nine new vehicles — including seven SUVs — have managed to join.

What are the IIHS’s most recent auto safety picks?

This year’s Top Safety Pick+ criteria were good ratings in three main crash tests, and good or acceptable ratings in standard headlights and the pedestrian front crash prevention test.

The regular Top Safety Pick list has almost all the same standards, except that vehicles only need an acceptable rating for the moderate overlap front crash test.

Both lists feature 2025 and select 2026 models. New additions are italicized.

The IIHS’s Top Safety Pick+ vehicles are:

The Top Safety Pick vehicles are:

You can find the full details on the 2025 Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ vehicles at the IIHS’s website.

Note that the IIHF plans to add certain kinds of driver-monitoring technology to the requirements for the Top Safety Pick+ award.

Safety on the road includes insurance coverage

A safe vehicle is important, but be sure you also have the right car insurance coverage. Decide between liability and full coverage, but be aware that only full-coverage will protect your own vehicle — which is important if you have a new or expensive car, like those on the IIHS lists.

Shop around and compare insurance rates. If cost is key, you can find cheap full-coverage insurance with major companies like State Farm, Travelers and USAA, though check to see which insurers have the best deal for your local area.