They were named Top Safety Pick+, while the BMW X2, Toyota Tacoma, and VW ID.4 got next-step-down Top Safety Pick
- The Honda Pilot, Lincoln Nautilus, and Mazda CX-90 have earned Top Safety Pick+ awards from the IIHS
- The BMW X2, Toyota Tacoma, and Volkswagen ID.4 earned Top Safety Pick awards, the next step down
- The IIHS has updated two of its tests and tightened qualifications, making it harder to earn the top prizes
The non-profit organization tightened its qualifications for the awards in 2024 to incorporate updates it made to its testing procedures. The IIHS now has three crash tests: a small-overlap front crash test, moderate-overlap front, and side crash. Vehicles are tested for overlap because most front collisions aren’t completely head-on, but the result of a driver crossing over into oncoming traffic, and the corners of the vehicles colliding. The single moderate-overlap test includes scores from crashes on both the driver and passenger side of the vehicle, which were previously broken down into individual scores.
Two of the tests have been updated. The side crash now better simulates being struck by a large SUV, while the moderate-overlap assesses potential injury to a rear-seat passenger as well as to those in front. And while the IIHS previously tested pedestrian front crash prevention systems for day and night performance, there’s now a single test that incorporates both types of light.
The IIHS has been gradually incorporating the scores from updated tests into the requirements for Top Safety Pick and Pick+ awards, as it takes a lot of time and money to test everything.
The top “Good” or next-step-down “Acceptable” in the updated side test was previously enough to earn an award, but in 2024, “Good” is the only result that qualifies for a Pick or Pick+. For the Pick+ award, vehicles must earn either “Good” or “Acceptable” in the updated front crash; while a “Good” rating in the original crash is still required for Top Safety Pick without the plus. As well, a vehicle could previously earn a Top Safety Pick if it could detect and avoid pedestrians during the day but not at night; now, it needs “Good” or “Acceptable” in the new single test. Finally, both awards require “Good” or “Acceptable” headlights on all trim levels.
The 2024 Tacoma, however, got “Good” in the original front crash and updated side crash, and also for its seatbelt reminders, along with “Acceptable” for headlights and child-seat tethers. It hasn’t yet been tested in the updated front crash, and so hasn’t qualified for Pick+.
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