New-vehicle crash tests are tougher than ever
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just released the results of its latest round of crash tests, with nine new models picking up one of the agency’s awards for top-tier safety. Crash-safety tests by the IIHS became even tougher this year, so vehicles achieving a top award are as safe as can be.
However, Toyota fans may be disappointed to find that two mid-size SUVs from the brand failed to achieve either of the IIHS’ coveted safety awards. They’re the family-friendly Grand Highlander and off-road-oriented 4Runner. While this does not mean they’re unsafe, it does point to a few weak spots in the SUVs’ designs, so let’s take a closer look at the results.
Seatbelts and Small Overlap Test Trip Up Toyota SUVs
The 4Runner and Grand Highlander didn’t fall short in all the same areas in the latest safety tests.
For the 4Runner, it was eliminated from award eligibility due to a Marginal rating in the moderate front overlap test. The IIHS found that the lap belts at the back moved from the dummy’s pelvis to the abdomen, which can increase the risk of abdomen-related injuries. Some 4Runner trims also received a Poor headlight rating, and even upper trims only got an Acceptable trim for their headlights. There appear to be no complaints with the 4Runner’s actual crash structure, though, and it received a Good rating for the side test.
For the Grand Highlander, there were no problems with the moderate overlap front test and all trims received an Acceptable headlight rating. However, an Acceptable rating in the small overlap front test eliminated the Grand Highlander from a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award. In this test, too much intrusion in the passenger compartment was found, but there wasn’t actually an increased risk of injury to either of the front occupants.
Interestingly, the Corolla Cross—a much smaller vehicle than either the 4Runner or Grand Highlander—earned a better rating overall and clinched a Top Safety Pick award. It’s interesting that this much cheaper crossover has better headlights than its pricier siblings.
Related: The 2026 Toyota Corolla Cross Gets Facelifted to Finally Look Interesting
Nine Models Achieve Safety Awards
2025 BMW X3
Nine new models achieved either a Top Safety Pick+ award (the highest IIHS honor) or the lower-tier Top Safety Pick award in the latest round of testing. The ones earning the “+” award were the following:
- 2025-2026 BMW X3
- 2025 Audi A5
- 2025 Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron
- 2025-2026 Ford Explorer
- 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9
- 2026 Kia Sportage
One level below, these models attained a Top Safety Pick award:
- 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
- 2026 Nissan Rogue
- 2025-2026 Toyota Corolla Cross
Earlier this year, it was Hyundai that dominated the number of new IIHS awards received, and the brand continues this good run with another two awards.
Besides the 4Runner and Grand Highlander, the Audi Q4 e-tron, Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback, Kia EV6, and Mitsubishi Outlander missed out on an award.
Final Thoughts
Since every car crash has its own set of variables, crash-test scores won’t always guarantee how a car will perform in a real-world crash. However, they do give us a good idea of vehicle safety, so Toyota will no doubt look to quickly improve the few areas where the Grand Highlander and 4Runner fell short. If you do get a 4Runner, it’s worth considering a headlight upgrade, since the standard beams put in a subpar showing.
Despite some imperfect results this month, modern crash-safety standards are still extraordinarily high compared to what they were.
