IIHS Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ SUVs for 2025

The IIHS has released its final roster of the safest SUVs for 2025. Crucially, this is not a blanket endorsement of any brand but specific Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards tied to individual models, sometimes with conditions based on build date, model year, or equipment. For anyone choosing a new crossover or SUV and aiming to reduce risk in both passive and active safety, it makes sense to start with vehicles that clear this filter.

In the compact and small SUV bracket, the list spans both high-volume choices and more premium-leaning options. On the mainstream side are the Honda HR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Rogue, and Subaru Forester, alongside the Mazda CX-30 and CX-50. The electric contingent includes the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Toyota bZ4X/Subaru Solterra pair. There are nuances: some badges shift status by year or version—Forester, for example, varies by trim and model year—while the BMW X3 carries an award only for vehicles built after a certain month in 2025. It’s a reminder that the exact configuration and production timing matter.

Step up to the midsize class—often where a third row appears and where many families find all they need—and the field widens. Ford Explorer and Mustang Mach-E, Honda Passport and Pilot, Kia EV9, Telluride, and Sorento, Mazda CX-70 and CX-90, Nissan Pathfinder and Murano, plus the Tesla Model Y all make the cut. Some awards here apply to the 2026 model year even though the list is based on 2025 testing, so checking the model year before you buy is part of doing it right.

If you want something premium, the IIHS calls out a dedicated group of midsize luxury SUVs: Audi (including the Q6 e-tron), BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLE, Genesis GV70/GV80 and the Electrified GV70, Volvo EX90 and XC90, as well as entries from Lexus, Lincoln, and others. One important footnote: the Mercedes-Benz GLE’s top status is linked to a specific forward-collision prevention package. It neatly illustrates how safety tech bundling can influence where a model lands on the awards ladder.

In the large SUV class, the list is short: Audi Q7, Infiniti QX80, Nissan Armada, and Rivian R1S, with the Rivian’s recognition tied to a defined production window. The brevity here underscores how selective the results are when the bar is set as high as IIHS sets it.