A sharper focus on rear seat safety has significantly reduced the number of vehicles earning the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) prestigious 2025 TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards. Only 48 models qualified under the tougher criteria, compared with 71 recipients at this time last year.
Of the 48 recognized models, 36 earned the higher-tier TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, while 12 received the base-level TOP SAFETY PICK designation. The sharp decline stems from new IIHS requirements emphasizing protection for second-row occupants, aimed at encouraging automakers to implement advanced seat belt systems and other innovations beyond the front seat.
“We’re once again challenging automakers to make their new models even safer than those they were building a year ago,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “Every vehicle that earns a 2025 award offers a high level of safety in both the front seat and the second row.”
The 2025 criteria mark a key shift in testing standards. Vehicles must now receive at least an acceptable rating in the updated moderate overlap front crash test -- which includes a second dummy in the rear seat -- to qualify for a TOP SAFETY PICK award. A good rating in that same test is now mandatory for the TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation. The original version of the test has been fully phased out.
To qualify for either award, vehicles must also earn good ratings in the small overlap front and updated side crash tests, a good or acceptable rating in pedestrian front crash prevention -- evaluated in both daytime and nighttime conditions -- and come equipped with good- or acceptable-rated headlights across all trims.
SUVs dominate the 2025 winners list, reflecting their prevalence in the U.S. market. Among TOP SAFETY PICK+ recipients, 28 of the 36 are SUVs, spanning small, midsize, midsize luxury and large categories. Similarly, eight of the 12 base award winners are SUVs.
However, certain vehicle segments lag significantly. No minivans, minicars, large cars or small pickups made the list. Only two large pickups -- the Rivian R1T and Toyota Tundra -- earned awards, a trend consistent with prior-year results.
“The new emphasis on back seat protection appears to have winnowed minivans and pickups from the winners’ ranks,” Harkey noted. “That’s unfortunate, considering that minivans are marketed as family haulers and extended cab and crew cab pickups are often used for that purpose.”
IIHS first updated the moderate overlap test in 2022 to address safety disparities between front and rear occupants. While structural reinforcements and advanced restraint systems have improved front seat outcomes, many vehicles lag in second-row protections. Recent data show belted adults in the back seat face higher fatal injury risks than those in the front in newer vehicles.
The revised crash test simulates a head-on collision at 40 mph and includes a second-row dummy representing a small woman or 12-year-old child. It also incorporates new injury metrics specific to rear seat occupants. Despite these stricter assessments, IIHS reported that around 60% of 2025 models tested have earned acceptable or good ratings, indicating measurable progress.
“There’s still progress to be made, but these results show that manufacturers are working hard to make their vehicles as safe for back seat passengers as they are for those up front,” Harkey said. “Consumers looking for a new vehicle offering the highest level of protection for their families should put these award winners at the top of their list.”
A full list of the 2025 TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners, along with details on the IIHS testing methods, is available at www.iihs.org.
