Car crashes are still among the leading causes of injury in the United States, but choosing the right vehicle can make a big difference in your risk of getting into a wreck. Cars with top safety ratings are built to help reduce the number of accidents and how serious they are when they happen.
For 2025, several cars, SUVs, trucks, and EVs stand out for their safety, giving drivers and passengers more protection on the road.
Understanding Safety Ratings
When it comes to car safety in the United States, two names typically set the benchmark: the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
NHTSA uses a 5-star rating system based on car performance in front, side, and rollover crashes. The more stars, the safer the car.
IIHS gives out Top Safety Pick+ awards to cars that earn high marks in several crash tests—including new tests for back-seat safety—and come with strong crash prevention technology. Their 2025 winners all showed excellent protection in both the front and rear seats, thanks to better design, airbags, and structure. They include:
Midsize Sedans
Midsize sedans remain a popular choice for many drivers, and several standouts earned top safety honors for 2025.
According to the IIHS, the following models received the Top Safety Pick+ award:
- Honda Accord
- Hyundai Sonata (only those built after November 2024)
- Hyundai Ioniq 6
- Toyota Camry
These sedans performed well in crash tests and have advanced safety features as standard, making them solid picks for anyone focused on safety in a four-door car.
Small SUVs
For 2025, eight compact crossovers earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award:
- Mazda CX-30
- Genesis GV60
- Subaru Solterra
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Honda HR-V
- Hyundai Kona
- Mazda CX-50
- Hyundai Tucson
The Toyota bZ4X, an all-electric small SUV, also joined the list. After a lighting system upgrade, vehicles of this model built after December 2024 earned Top Safety Pick+ status.
All of these vehicles come with a full range of safety features. Most include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive headlights — meeting or exceeding federal safety standards.
Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles (EVs) continue to show strong safety performance across different categories. For 2025, several all-electric models earned top honors. For instance, the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Kia EV9 (midsize SUVs) received the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award.
These EVs feature strong crash protection and advanced stability systems. As more electric and hybrid models hit the market, NHTSA’s 2025 testing plan includes many new entries, showing that EVs can be both efficient and built for safety.
Pickup Trucks
Pickup trucks don’t make the safety lists as often as cars and SUVs, but a few models earned top marks in 2025:
- The Toyota Tundra crew cab earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award
- The Rivian R1T all-electric crew cab received a Top Safety Pick designation
Awarded pickups typically include safety enhancements like reinforced cabs, roll mitigation, and trailer stability control.
Contact the Personal Injury Law Firm of Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers in Savannah for Help Today
Even the safest vehicles aren’t immune to car accidents. A high safety rating means a vehicle is built to protect you and help avoid crashes, but it can’t control things like bad weather, distracted drivers, or unexpected mechanical problems.
For more information, please contact our experienced Savannah personal injury lawyer at Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation today. We have a convenient location in Savannah, GA.
We proudly serve Chatham County, Georgia, and its surrounding areas.
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