Qualifying Safety Models Earn Ratings from IIHS

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety deemed six different brands eligible for the 2025 Top Safety Pick awards. 

Vehicle ratings for smaller vehicles such as The Hyundai Elantra, Kia K4, and Toyota Prius were released. In addition, midsized cars such as the electric SUV Toyota bZ4X and the Nissan Murano were also on the 2025 list. 

The ratings necessary to qualify for both the Top Safety Pick as well as the lower-tier Safety Pick award are as follows: good ratings in the small overlap front, updated side tests, good or acceptable headlights, and an acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention evaluation.

An acceptable rating in the updated moderate overlap front test is enough to qualify for Top Safety Pick, while a good rating is required for the plus.

Some vehicles are only eligible if the model was built after a certain date. This year, the award applies to Elantras built after October of 2024, Sonatas built after November of 2024, and K4s built after January of 2025. 

The headlights on the XLE trim were changed, earning the bZ4X an award.

The Ford Bronco and Ford Bronco Sport also earned new ratings. The VW Taos wasn't far behind. Despite the ratings, however, these vehicles did not earn awards due to inadequacy in other tests. 

The Bronco was disqualified due to its low-rating headlights, pedestrian front crash prevention, and moderate overlap crash performance. During the required overlap test, measurements were taken from the rear dummy. They indicated an elevated level of risk for chest injuries. 

The Bronco performed well in other areas. The Bronco Sport, however, fell short in the same areas but for varying reasons. During the Sport's test, the rear dummy's lap belt slid up onto the abdomen. This increases chances of internal injuries. The Sport also scored an acceptable rating in the new side test because of high injury metrics. 

T2025 Taos earned an acceptable rating in the small overlap front test, as the safety cage designed to protect occupants did not hold up well. The new model also fell short in the updated moderate overlap front test and earned subpar ratings for its headlights and pedestrian crash avoidance system.  Volkswagen added pretensioners and load limiters to the rear seat belts in the Taos in January 2025, but chest injury metrics for the rear passenger remained high in the moderate overlap test.

The 2025 top safety picks are: 

1. The 2025 Hyundai Elantra

2. The 2025 Hyundai Sonata

3. The 2025 Kia K4

4. The 2025 Nissan Murano

5. The 2025 Toyota bZ4X

6. The 2025 Toyota Prius

7. The 2025 For Bronco

8. The 2025 Ford Bronco Sport

9. The 2025 Volkswagen Taos

To view a full and complete table with the ratings, please visit iihs.org.