The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced the latest round of models to attain its Top Safety Pick+ accolade, the agency’s highest rating for vehicle safety. The safety body recently introduced tougher safety rules for crash avoidance systems and rear-seat safety, but despite this, an impressive 45 vehicles earned a Top Safety Pick+ award. At a time when new cars are unaffordable for many Americans, it’s particularly promising to see that many award winners fall into the sub-$30,000 price category. Here’s a closer look.
Small and Cheap Doesn’t Mean Unsafe
Kia K4
There’s still a perception that smaller, cheaper cars aren’t as safe as larger luxury models, but many IIHS award winners prove otherwise. The following models all achieved a Top Safety Pick+ rating—we’ve also indicated their starting prices:
- Kia K4: $22,290
- Kia Sportage: $28,790 (models built after May 2025)
- Hyundai Kona: $25,500
- Hyundai Sonata: $27,450
- Hyundai Tucson: $29,450
- Mazda 3 Sedan: $24,550
- Mazda 3 Hatchback: $25,550
- Mazda CX-30: $25,975
- Mazda CX-50: $29,900
- Nissan Sentra: $22,600
- Toyota Camry: $29,100
- Honda HR-V: $26,500
- Subaru Forester: $29,995
To qualify for a Top Safety Pick+ rating, cars need Good ratings for the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, and pedestrian front crash prevention tests. The headlights and vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention tests also require a minimum Acceptable score. Every model above met these requirements. Surprisingly, no minivans or small pickups earned awards this year, and that includes the lower Top Safety Pick tier.
Toyota
“It’s disappointing that minivans continue to struggle to provide the best-available protection for passengers in the back, considering that these are supposed to be family vehicles,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “Based on these results, parents may want to consider some of the more affordable sedans and SUVs that earn awards.”
The appearance of four Mazdas under $30,000—and another four priced over $30,000—highlights the Japanese brand’s incredible safety record in recent years. Earlier in 2026, Consumer Reports’ new Safety Verdict ranked Mazda ahead of all other car brands for overall vehicle safety.
Related: Mazda Just Took Volvo’s Safety Crown, Says Consumer Reports
Other Safety Insights
In the Top Safety Pick+ category over $30,000, Audi stands out with six wins, including for the latest A5 (shown above) and A6 Sportback e-tron. Genesis is just behind with five awards, followed by Mazda with four. The only large pickup with a Top Safety Pick+ award is the TeslaCybertruck.
One of the biggest changes to IIHS testing has been a focus on vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention, now conducted at speeds of 31, 37, and 43 mpg. A motorcycle and semitrailer are also used as targets, in addition to a passenger car. So far, over 77% of 2026 models earned Acceptable or Good ratings in this test.
“Improving crash avoidance is key to achieving our 30×30 vision of reducing U.S. crash deaths by 30% by 2030,” Harkey said. “Stronger structures and better seat belts save lives, but the safest crash is the one that never happens.”
What It Means
IIHS
Vehicle safety tests are as tough as they’ve ever been, so it’s promising to see the large variety of vehicles meeting the IIHS’ criteria for the Top Safety Pick+ award. With rising new-car prices and gas costs, many consumers are downsizing, but the test results prove that this need not come at the expense of safety. The cars above have solid safety structures and all the basic technologies required to help you avoid a crash in the first place.
