The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recognized 19 vehicles from 11 brands with its coveted Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards for 2024, with 10 vehicles earning the higher-tier distinction.
The Top Safety Pick+ winners include the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Infiniti QX60, Mazda CX-70, Mazda CX-70 PHEV, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Rivian R1S, Subaru Forester, Toyota Tundra crew cab, and Volvo XC90 Plug-In Hybrid.
Meanwhile, the base-level Top Safety Pick award went to the Audi Q8, Ford F-150 crew cab, Ford F-150 extended cab, Infiniti QX80, Kia K4, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Nissan Kicks, Toyota Corolla sedan, and Toyota Crown Signia.
To qualify for either award, vehicles had to meet stringent safety requirements, including good ratings in the small overlap front and updated side tests, as well as acceptable or good scores in pedestrian front crash prevention and headlights across all trims. Top Safety Pick+ winners also needed a good or acceptable score in the updated moderate overlap front test.
Several of the new “plus” winners earned the lower-tier award earlier because they hadn’t yet undergone the updated moderate overlap front test, the IIHS noted, adding that some awards apply only to vehicles built before or after specific production dates.
Two vehicles -- the 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ and 2024 Ford Bronco Sport -- did not qualify for either award due to poor headlight performance and an acceptable rating in the side test, respectively.
Six models, including the Audi Q7 and Rivian R1T, were retested due to redesigns but retained their 2024 awards.
These latest additions bring the total 2024 award count to 48 Top Safety Pick+ winners and 56 Top Safety Pick recipients, signaling significant progress in vehicle safety and technology.
