Safest Cars of 2025: How SUVs Dominate and What It Means for Back Seat Safety

With the latest annual awards released from a nonprofit vehicle safety advocate, SUVs are stealing the spotlight as the safest rides, but a new emphasis on back seat safety is shaking up the game for minivans and pickups.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released its 2025 “Top Safety Picks”, highlighting a significant shift in automotive safety standards. This year, SUVs emerged as the frontrunners, with a diverse range of models earning top honors for their advanced safety features. However, the new emphasis on back seat safety has led to fewer models qualifying for these prestigious awards, with only 48 vehicles meeting the criteria compared to 71 last year.

Better protection for second-row occupants is a requirement for both the 2025 Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards. This year’s evaluation added a second dummy seated behind the driver — simulating a small woman or a 12-year-old child — and emphasized back seat safety. Vehicles that excelled in the newest crash test with a good rating earned Top Safety Pick+. The Top Safety Pick awardees required an acceptable rating.

This year’s list includes:

• 8 small SUVs
• 9 midsize SUVs
• 8 midsize luxury SUVs
• 3 large SUVs

In fact, SUVs accounted for eight of the 12 Top Safety Picks. Only two large pickups — the Rivian R1T and Toyota Tundra — qualified for either award. For a full list of winner, scroll to the bottom of this article.

This change in testing aims to address a critical safety gap: in newer vehicles, the risk of fatal injury is higher for belted adults in the rear seat compared to those in the front.  The list of safest vehicles included 28 of the 36 awards going to SUV models. This includes small, midsize, and large SUVs from various manufacturers like Honda, Hyundai, and Mazda.

However, other vehicle types like minivans and compact pickups were notably absent from the winners’ list. The emphasis on back seat safety has excluded minivans and pickups from the list of winners, which is unfortunate given their common use as family vehicles.

“The updated safety standards are a crucial step toward ensuring that all passengers, regardless of where they sit, are protected in the event of a crash,” said Matt Clark, managing partner at the Law Office of Chain | Cohn | Clark. “By prioritizing back seat safety, automakers can help prevent tragedies and save lives.”

For consumers seeking the safest vehicles for their families, the awards provide a valuable guide. Vehicles that earn Top Safety Pick+ awards offer a high level of protection for both front and back seat occupants. Key features to look for include advanced seat belt technologies and robust airbag systems designed to protect rear passengers.

The safety awards highlight the importance of comprehensive safety features in modern vehicles. While SUVs lead the way, the absence of other vehicle types underscores the need for continued innovation across all models. By choosing vehicles that prioritize both front and back seat safety, safety experts say, consumers can help create a safer driving environment for everyone.

===

2025 Top Safety Pick+ winners earn good ratings in the small overlap front crash test, updated side crash test, and updated moderate overlap crash test. They also have standard good- or acceptable-rated headlights and earn good or acceptable ratings in pedestrian front crash prevention tests.

Small Cars

• Honda Civic hatchback
• Mazda 3 hatchback
• Mazda 3 sedan

Midsize Cars

• Honda Accord
• Hyundai Ioniq 6
• Toyota Camry

Midsize Luxury Car

• Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• Small SUVs
• Genesis GV60
• Honda HR-V
• Hyundai Ioniq 5
• Hyundai Kona
• Hyundai Tucson
• Mazda CX-30
• Mazda CX-50
• Subaru Solterra

Midsize SUVs

• Ford Mustang Mach-E
• Hyundai Santa Fe (built after Nov. 2024)
• Kia EV9
• Kia Telluride
• Mazda CX-70
• Mazda CX-70 PHEV
• Mazda CX-90
• Mazda CX-90 PHEV
• Nissan Pathfinder

Midsize Luxury SUVs

• BMW X5
• Genesis Electrified GV70
• Genesis GV70 (built after April 2024)
• Genesis GV80
• Lincoln Nautilus
• Mercedes-Benz GLC
• Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class (with optional front crash prevention)
• Volvo XC90 (built before Dec 2024)

Large SUVs

• Audi Q7
• Infiniti QX80
• Rivian R1S (built after Aug. 2024)

Large pickup

• Toyota Tundra crew cab

2025 Top Safety Pick winners earn good ratings in the small overlap front and updated side crash tests, and an acceptable rating in the updated moderate overlap front crash test. They also have standard good- or acceptable-rated headlights and earn a good or acceptable rating in pedestrian front crash prevention tests.

Small Cars

Acura Integra hatchback

Honda Civic sedan

Large Luxury Car

Genesis G90

Small SUV

Subaru Forester (excludes Wilderness trim)

Midsize SUVs

Chevrolet Traverse

Honda Pilot

Subaru Ascent

Midsize Luxury SUVs

Acura MDX

Infiniti QX60

Lexus NX

Volvo XC90 Plug-In Hybrid (built before Dec 2024)

Large Pickup

Rivian R1T

———

If you or someone you know is injured in an accident at the fault of someone else, or injured on the job no matter whose fault it is, contact the attorneys at Chain | Cohn | Clark by calling (661) 323-4000, or fill out a free consultation form, text, or chat with us at chainlaw.com.