A few years ago, many people on the Internet was absolutely certain the Tesla Cybertruck would never make it to production—and if it did, critics insisted it would be wildly unsafe, impossible to certify, and probably illegal to sell in half the world. Fast-forward to 2026, and the stainless-steel wedge has just become the only pickup truck to earn Top Safety Pick+ marks this year from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Don’t get us wrong, there’s still plenty of controvery over the truck. But when it comes to crash protection and avoidance, the latest IIHS results suggest Tesla’s pickup is extremely safe—and this year’s criteria are stricter than ever before.

Under the updated rules, vehicles must now earn a good rating in the moderate overlap front test, which was revised to better measure how well rear passengers are protected. On top of that, Top Safety Pick+ winners must also score well in updated crash-avoidance testing, including higher-speed vehicle-to-vehicle scenarios and pedestrian detection.

Those tougher standards appear to be hitting pickups especially hard, as the Cybertruck is the only one that managed to clear the bar for Top Safety Pick+ this year. The Toyota Tundra crew cab is the only other truck to earn any award at all, settling for a regular Top Safety Pick this year versus the highest honors in 2025. (IIHS testing is ongoing, so more vehicles may be added to the list; however, those two pickups were the only trucks to receive any TSP / TSP+ awards last year.)

According to IIHS president David Harkey, the goal is to push car companies toward better real-world protection, not just stronger structures. “We’re asking automakers to make excellent protection for back-seat passengers the norm,” he said, adding that stronger crash-avoidance systems are also key to reducing fatalities.

That all said, it’s worth noting that plenty of affordable cars earned awards. Several Top Safety Pick+ winners start under $30,000, including the Kia K4, showing that strong safety ratings aren’t limited to luxury models. The results also highlight some surprising weak spots; no minivans earned an award this year, and many family-focused vehicles continue to fall short in rear-seat crash tests—something the institute says buyers may want to consider when choosing between SUVs, sedans, and vans.

Below is the full list of winners released on Tuesday:

Top Safety Pick+

• Kia K4

• Mazda3 (sedan, hatchback)

• Nissan Sentra

• Hyundai Sonata

• Toyota Camry

• Audi A5

• Audi A6 Sportback e-tron

• Genesis G80 (built after June 2025)

• Genesis GV60

• Honda HR-V

• Hyundai Ioniq 5

• Hyundai Kona

• Hyundai Tucson

• Kia Sportage (built after May 2025)

• Mazda CX-30

• Mazda CX-50

• Subaru Forester

• Honda Passport

• Hyundai Ioniq 9

• Hyundai Santa Fe

• Kia EV9

• Kia Sorento (built after Sept 2025)

• Mazda CX-70 / CX-70 PHEV

• Mazda CX-90 / CX-90 PHEV

• Nissan Murano

• Nissan Pathfinder

• Subaru Ascent

• Subaru Outback

• Audi Q5 / Q5 Sportback

• Audi Q6 e-tron / Q6 Sportback e-tron

• BMW X3

• BMW X5

• Genesis GV70 / Electrified GV70

• Genesis GV80

• Infiniti QX60

• Lexus NX

• Rivian R1S

• Volvo EX90

• Tesla Cybertruck

Top Safety Pick

• Honda Civic hatchback

• Hyundai Elantra

• Toyota Prius

• Honda Accord

• Mercedes-Benz C-Class

• Buick Enclave

• Ford Explorer

• Ford Mustang Mach-E

• Volkswagen Atlas

• Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

• Lincoln Nautilus

• Mercedes-Benz GLC

• Volvo XC90 / XC90 Plug-in Hybrid

• Audi Q7

• Infiniti QX80

• Nissan Armada

• Toyota Tundra crew cab

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