2026 Top Safety Picks
Vehicles that perform best in our evaluations qualify for Top Safety Pick, which has been awarded since the 2006 model year, or Top Safety Pick+, which was inaugurated in 2013.
These awards identify the best vehicle choices for safety within size categories during a given year. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford more protection than smaller, lighter ones. Thus, a small car that qualifies for an award might not protect its occupants as well as a bigger vehicle that doesn't earn the award.
Midsize SUVs
Top Safety Pick
2026 Buick Enclave 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2026 Ford Explorer 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Honda Passport 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Hyundai Palisade 4-door SUV
applies only to vehicles built after November 2025
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Kia EV9 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Kia Sorento 4-door SUV
applies only to vehicles built after September 2025
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Mazda CX-70 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Mazda CX-70 PHEV 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Mazda CX-90 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Mazda CX-90 PHEV 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Nissan Murano 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Nissan Pathfinder 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Subaru Ascent 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick+
2026 Subaru Outback 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2026 Volkswagen Atlas 4-door SUV
Top Safety Pick
2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport 4-door SUV
2026 criteria
Top Safety Pick +
- G Good rating in the small overlap front test
- G Good rating in the moderate overlap front test
- G Good rating in the side test
- AGAcceptable or good headlights (standard availability)
- G Good pedestrian front crash prevention (standard availability)
- AGAcceptable or good vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention 2.0 (standard availability)
Top Safety Pick
- G Good rating in the small overlap front test
- G Good rating in the moderate overlap front test
- G Good rating in the side test
- AGAcceptable or good headlights (standard availability)
- AGAcceptable or good pedestrian front crash prevention (standard availability)