IIHS Safest 2021 Car, Truck, and SUV Winners

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is recognizing 49 models for providing the highest level of safety — more than double the number that earned the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award last year. Another 41 vehicles earn TOP SAFETY PICK (without the plus), bringing the total number of 2021 award winners to 90, compared with 64 in February 2020.

“With these awards, we want to make it easy for consumers to find vehicles that provide good protection in crashes, sufficient lighting and effective front crash protection,” IIHS President David Harkey says. “Manufacturers have stepped up to meet the challenge, and the list of great options has grown to an impressive size this year.”

Both awards require good ratings in all six IIHS crashworthiness tests — driver- and passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints. Award winners must be available with front crash prevention that earns a superior or advanced rating in both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations.

Last but not least, TOP SAFETY PICK winners must be available with good or acceptable headlights. The “plus” designation is given to models that have good or acceptable headlights across all trim levels and packages.

Of all manufacturers, Hyundai Motor Group, including the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands, has the most 2021 awards — 12 regular TOP SAFETY PICKs and five pluses. Volvo has the most TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards with nine.

Only one automaker, Mitsubishi, has failed to earn a single award so far. The low number of awards for General Motors — one TOP SAFETY PICK and one TOP SAFETY PICK+ — is striking for such a large manufacturer.

This year two minivans, the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, qualify for the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award. A pickup truck, the Ram 1500 crew cab, qualifies for TOP SAFETY PICK and is the only winner from Stellantis, the company created by the recent merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot. A year ago, there were no minivans or pickups in the winner’s circle.

Small cars

Honda Insight
Mazda 3 hatchback
Mazda 3 sedan
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Midsize cars

Honda Accord
Kia K5 built after November 2020
Mazda 6
Nissan Altima
Nissan Maxima built after November 2020
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Toyota Camry

Midsize luxury cars

Acura TLX
Lexus ES 350
Lexus IS
Tesla Model 3
Volvo S60
Volvo S60 Recharge
Volvo V60
Volvo V60 Recharge

Large luxury cars

Audi A6
Audi A6 allroad
Audi A7
Genesis G70
Genesis G90

Small SUVs

Mazda CX-3
Mazda CX-5
Mazda CX-30 built after September 2020
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Volvo XC40

Midsize SUVs
Ford Explorer
Hyundai Palisade
Mazda CX-9
Subaru Ascent
Toyota Highlander

Midsize luxury SUVs

Acura RDX
Cadillac XT6
Hyundai Nexo
Lexus NX
Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class with optional front crash prevention
Volvo XC60
Volvo XC60 Recharge
Volvo XC90
Volvo XC90 Recharge

Large SUVs

Audi e-tron
Audi e-tron Sportback
Minivans Honda Odyssey
Toyota Sienna

[maximkhasiev]

A perfect example of how to make a bad video even if you have good content

[Hallowsaw]

I love how he calls out gm and mitsubishi for how unsafe they are.

[truckerman]

Mazda is the most underrated car manufacturer on the road.

[MrMrremmington]

Not impressed at all with the ram truck. This test is not at a high speed and that truck crumpled back and front side to side like a tin can. Inside everything moved as the back of the truck crash towards the cabin, the backseats moved forwards, have a look. The rear doors get crushed almost open. Add 15 miles an hour to that crash or 20 km and the whole things going to fold up. Yikes

[meriofrog]

This is stupid. So if you have a lot of cars that score well in tests, you are automatically the safest?? What about Tesla? They have only 4 models, and just 3 were tested by the IIHS. This is unfair and stupid.

Edit: They have the Tesla model 3 in the description but they did not show the videos.

[asiandavidp]

All those airbags to make up for it but still that truck is squished like an accordion

[rustler]

That RAM did atrocious. Look at the deformation at the bottom of the cab.

[pranavnigam]

surprised that there are no teslas? is this because they have already been given the awards or do they not qualify?

[Onkarr]

4:44 is that red an indication of potential blood?

[HUNmotyon]

WTF is IIHS? Is is something like Euro NCAP, just less serious?

[katiaarellanochavez]

La gran mayoría de jente compra autos baratos e inseguros

[gizmoteg]

who cares about any of these meaningless vehicles