Video: BMW X1 Earns Top Safety Award
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety names the small luxury SUV a Top Safety Pick+ award winner.

Photo: IIHS
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named the 2016 BMW X1 SUV a Top Safety Pick+ award winner.
The model qualified for the honor after a redesign boosted its performance in the IIHS small overlap front crash test. Additionally, the BMW X1 has a new optional front crash prevention system that earned an “advanced” rating.
The X1 drew the highest score possible — a rating of “good” — in the small overlap test. In the test, “the driver’s space was maintained reasonably well, with maximum intrusion of about 4 inches at the lower door hinge pillar and at the instrument panel,” IIHS said in a released statement. “In contrast, in the test of the previous version, intrusion reached 16 inches at the footwell, trapping the dummy’s right foot.”
Like its predecessor, the new X1 also earned “good” ratings in the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests.
The X1’s newly available front crash prevention system performed well, too. In track tests at 12 mph, impact speed was reduced by an average of 10 mph. In the 25 mph tests, impact speed was reduced by 7 mph, according to IIHS. The system includes a forward collision warning component that meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria.
To qualify for Top Safety Pick+, a vehicle must have “good” ratings in all five crashworthiness tests and an available front crash prevention system that draws an “advanced” or “superior” rating.
More Safety
From Silos to Solutions: Relationship Management for Safer Fleets
From telematics adoption and driver accountability to policy consistency and risk mitigation, this episode breaks down what it really takes to build a safer fleet culture without slowing business down.
Read More →
IIHS Launches First Commercial Vehicle Safety Evaluations
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has begun evaluating heavy-duty pickups and cargo vans for driver protection. Which models earned top marks?
Read More →
Reducing Risk by Eliminating Phone Use Behind the Wheel
Hosted with the cofounder of Lifesaver Mobile, this episode addresses phone use behind the wheel and how to design a driving environment that actually helps prevents accidents.
Read More →
Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-Time Prevention (Part 2 of 2)
Part Two: Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Continue learning more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab
Read More →
How 5-Second Telematics Data Is Changing Fleet Safety
This episode connects with Steve Santostasi of Ford Pro and covers how a few seconds of data can make a difference in fleet safety.
Read More →
Managing Road Risk at Scale: Why Fleet Safety Needs a Data-Driven Framework
Insights from the FIA Road and Driver Safety Indexes reveal how to manage road risk on a larger scale.
Read More →
Stellantis Recalls 1.3 Million Jeep Vehicles Worldwide Over Fire Risk
Stellantis is recalling more than 1.3 million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models worldwide over a fire risk linked to power steering pump wiring.
Read More →
Coaching Is Not Training, Even When AI Is Doing It
AI-powered safety platforms can detect risky behaviors and deliver immediate feedback. But effective driver development still requires a foundation of training followed by coaching that reinforces those skills.
Read More →
How Emotions Behind the Wheel Can Affect Fleet Safety
During National Safety Month, fleets are encouraged to look beyond distracted driving and recognize how stress, fatigue, and emotional well-being influence driver performance and crash risk.
Read More →
Nominations Open for 2026 Fleet Safety Award
Nominations have officially opened for the 2026 Fleet Safety Award Winner.
Read More →
