Here are 9 Safe Small SUVs Money Can Buy in 2026
Nine small SUVs have qualified for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s 2026 Top Safety Pick+ designation, the highest award from the insurance industry group.
The awards come as SUVs make up 35 of 45 winners of the group’s Top Safety Pick+ designation this year, and 12 of 18 Top Safety Pick winners, the latest sign of the US auto market’s shift toward larger vehicles.
The IIHS said it would like to see automakers improve safety in all types of vehicles.
“This year, we’re asking automakers to make better protection for rear seat passengers,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “For TOP SAFETY PICK+, we need crash avoidance systems that are better at preventing pedestrian accidents and high-speed collisions with other vehicles.”
The USA TODAY Cars team took a look at the IIHS rankings and put together a list of the safest small SUVs.
1. Genesis GV60
MSRP: $54,020
IIHS Safety Rating: Top Safety Pick+
What Genesis said: Genesis said in a press release when several of its vehicles won the 2025 Top Safety Pick that the designation “positively reinforces Genesis’ reputation as a manufacturer of safe vehicles in the US market. This is because American consumers trust the IIHS’s scientific and systematic safety testing methods.”
2. Honda HR-V
MSRP: $26,795
IIHS Safety Rating: Top Safety Pick+
What Honda says: Honda said in a press release that the HR-V and other Top Safety Pick winners are a symbol of the company’s “long-standing ‘Safety for Everyone’ approach, a commitment to improving the safety of everyone who shares the road.”
3. Hyundai Ioniq 5
MSRP: $36,600
IIHS Safety Rating: Top Safety Pick+
What Hyundai said: Hyundai said in a press release, “This honor highlights Hyundai’s commitment to achieving and maintaining the highest level of safety in the automotive industry.”
4. Hyundai Kona
MSRP: $25,500
IIHS Safety Rating: Top Safety Pick+
What Hyundai said: Hyundai said in a press release that “the 2026 TSP+ awards are given to vehicles that meet the strict criteria set by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), including advanced crash and occupant protection requirements.”
5. Hyundai Tucson
MSRP: $30,800
IIHS Safety Rating: Top Safety Pick+
What Hyundai said: Hyundai said in a press release that its IIHS awards highlight “the brand’s commitment to crash and occupant protection” and “the safest vehicles in every class, helping consumers make informed decisions.”
6. Kia Sportage
MSRP: $28,690
IIHS Safety Rating: Top Safety Pick+
What Kia said: SeungKyu (Sean) Yoon, president and CEO of Kia North America and Kia America, in a press release, “expanding our IIHS recognition across multiple models shows how we prioritize safety as the agency’s safety standards continue to evolve.”
7. Mazda CX-30
MSRP: $25,795
IIHS Safety Rating: Top Safety Pick+
What Mazda said: Mazda said in a press release that “its long-standing commitment to real-world safety is even more evident in its history, as it has now earned 99 IIHS Top Safety awards since 2008, 73 of which are TOP SAFETY PICK+ – a testament to continuous improvement and two decades of leadership in safety engineering.”
8. Mazda CX-50
MSRP: $29,990
IIHS Safety Rating: Top Safety Pick+
What Mazda says: Mazda says in a press release, “Mazda vehicles have once again been among the safest on the road, earning eight 2026 TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), more than any other brand. Strengthen year after year.”
9. Subaru Forester
MSRP: $29,995
IIHS Safety Rating: Top Safety Pick+
What Subaru said: Jeff Walters, president and CEO of Subaru of America, Inc., said in a press release, “Receiving the 2026 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards based on an advanced testing methodology is a clear achievement for Subaru.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here are the 9 safest small SUVs money can buy in 2026.
Reporting by Keith Laing, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
