These 2026 midsize cars are Top Safety Options and Under $30K
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has officially announced its 2026 Top Safety Award recipients.
IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winners include the Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Camry. The Honda Accord was awarded an IIHS Top Safety Pick designation.
Here’s a breakdown of how these midsize cars performed during testing and what drivers should know about each model.
2026 Hyundai Sonata Receives IIHS Top Safety Award
The Hyundai Sonata is a South Korean mid-size car known for its rugged appeal. The Sonata earned the highest grade of “Good” in all crash categories including extreme small frontal crash, moderate frontal crash and side crash.
The 2026 Hyundai Sonata starts at $27,450. It uses a 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine to produce 191 horsepower. The Sonata gets 28 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.
Hyundai’s mid-size car comes with standard safety features such as lane-keeping assist, driver attention and blind-spot collision warning. In terms of safety, affordability and value, the Sonata is easily one of the best options in its segment.
The 2026 Toyota Camry is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+
Toyota’s mid-size car is a top seller in its segment and has built a reputation for practicality and reliability. It earned “Good” grades in all three IIHS crash categories, just like the Hyundai Sonata.
The 2026 Toyota Camry starts at $29,100. It uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain to produce 225 horsepower. The midsize hybrid sedan achieves 52 mpg in the city and 49 mpg on the highway, which is impressive for its segment.
The Camry comes standard with a long list of safety features including a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, proactive driver assist and lane-tracing assist. It is one of the best new cars on the market and is fuel efficient.
Honda Midsize Car Earns Top Safety Marks From IIHS
The Honda Accord is the Camry’s long-time rival and one of the most competitive options in its segment. IIHS 2026 Top Safety Pick, earning perfect crash scores in the organization’s three crash test categories.
Honda’s midsize sedan starts at $28,395. It uses a 1.5 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine to produce 192 horsepower. The 2026 Accord gets 29 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.
The 2026 Honda Accord has anti-collision braking, lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition. It plays better than some of its main competitors and is still affordable.
If you’re looking for a new midsize car in 2026, there are plenty of models that have received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s stamp of approval. These new cars are not only safe, they also offer great value and standard features.
Charles Singh is the Autos Connect Reporter for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY network. Contact him at [email protected]
This article first appeared in USA TODAY: These 2026 midsize cars have more safety options and are under $30K.
Reporting by Charles Singh, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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