The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts crash tests of hundred of vehicles every year to let the public know just how safe the vehicles they buy are. This year, there are over 60 vehicles spread across myriad segments that scored good enough across a multitude of categories to be named an IIHS Top Safety Pick — or even better, a Top Safety Pick+. The four possible scores a car can achieve in each category are “good,” “acceptable,” “marginal” and “poor.” Today, we’re just taking a look at the small SUVs that scored Top Safety Picks in testing.
These Are The Safest Small SUVs According To IIHS
Every SUV on this list scored near or at the very top of the agency's testing criteria
BMW X1
BMW’s smallest SUV earned a Top Safety Pick with good ratings for things like side impact and small overlap front. The only place it didn’t score so good was in seat belt reminders, which got dinged for having a reminder volume that’s too low.
BMW X2
Recently redesigned, the 2024 BMW X2 scored good in every single category save for one, as it only achieved an acceptable rating for torsos in rear passenger injury measures.
Genesis GV60
Genesis’ excellent but often overlooked electric crossover scored a Top Safety Pick+, ranking good in every category except in ease of use for the rear LATCH system, and lower leg/foot, torso and pelvis for driver injury measures. It scored acceptable in those categories.
Honda CR-V
Honda’s best-selling model achieved a Top Safety Pick. While it scored good in most areas, it did fall short in others, scoring poorly in a moderate overlap front crash test and in the rear passenger restraint performance.
Honda HR-V
Honda’s smallest crossover actually scored higher than its CR-V sibling, earning Top Safety Pick+ in testing. It scored good in every category except for child seat anchors, headlights and driver injury measures for head/neck and torso. It was rated acceptable on those tests.
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Hyundai’s electric crossover earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating in spite of scoring acceptable in areas like headlights, front crash prevention for pedestrians, structure and safety cage and rear child seat anchors, the last of which seems to be a universal problem.
Hyundai Kona
Hyundai’s futuristic-looking small crossover also earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating. Despite that top rating, it only scored acceptable for its headlights and child anchors.
Hyundai Tucson
The Tucson nabbed a Top Safety Pick+ rating as well, the third for the automaker. Its headlights and rear child latch system scored acceptable, while its standard crash avoidance systems only ranked marginal.
Kia Sportage
The Sportage earned a Top Safety Pick rating despite having more categories it didn’t score good in than ones it did. In all three crashworthiness categories it got the best score, but the Sportage only scored acceptable with its headlights, front crash prevention for pedestrians and ease of use for its child LATCH system. Its forward collision avoidance assist only got a marginal score, too.
Lexus RZ
Lexus’ sole EV earned a Top Safety Pick rating. It scored good in every category except its headlights, which were just acceptable. It even managed to beat out most other Top Safety Picks by having a child latch system that’s easy to use.
Lexus UX
Lexus’ smallest crossover is another Top Safety Pick for the brand. It scored good in every category except in the moderate overlap front portion of its crashworthiness.
Mazda CX-30
Mazda’s smallest crossover earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating, scoring good in every single category.
Mazda CX-50
Mazda’s CX-50 also earned the automaker another Top Safety Pick+ rating, although it did score only acceptable with its headlights, which IIHS says varies in how good they are by trim, and its pedestrian crash avoidance system.
Subaru Solterra
Despite being a lackluster EV, Subaru’s Solterra managed to score a Top Safety Pick+ rating, scoring good in every single category.