Is Your Family Safer in a Minivan or an SUV? This Test Means the Last

digitalplatform.g@gmail.com 17 hours agoLast Updated: March 25, 2026

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Is Your Family Safer in a Minivan or an SUV? This Test Means the Last

For generations, minivans have been seen as the quintessential family vehicle. But your family may be safer in an SUV, according to a recent crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The Arlington, Va.-based group, which represents the insurance industry, said Tuesday, March 24, that there are no small cars, minivans or minivans among its 2026 Top Safety Pick awards. This news came when the group said that SUVs made up 35 of the 45 winners of the group’s Top Safety Pick+ this year, and 12 of the 18 winners of the Top Safety Pick.

IIHS President David Harkey said in a statement that the lack of award-winning vans is particularly troubling, as vehicles have historically been considered family vehicles.

“It’s disappointing that minivans continue to struggle to protect rear passengers, given that these are supposed to be family vehicles,” said Harkey. “Based on these results, parents may want to consider some of the more affordable sedans and award-winning SUVs.”

Why Do Minivans Struggle in IIHS Safety Tests?

The IIHS said minivans, minivans and minivans struggle for rear-seat performance in its moderate collision test, which is designed to replicate the impact of a crash between two vehicles traveling in opposite directions at approximately 40 mph each.

The IIHS said only two large pickup trucks performed well enough to qualify for the Top Safety Pick award: the Tesla Cybertruck and the Toyota Tundra crew cab.

Rosemary Shahan, president of the Sacramento, California-based group Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, said it’s “disappointing that minivans don’t perform well enough to earn the IIHS’ top safety ratings.” Shahan said parents would be wise to look at other types of vehicles if they are concerned about the safety of the van segment.

“Because of those tests, it would make sense for parents to consider other vehicles that offer more protection for the passengers riding in the back seat,” said Shahan.

Janette Fennell, who is the founder and president of Kids and Car Safety, which encourages policies to improve car safety for children, said in an interview with USA TODAY that she knows of people who have chosen to buy SUVs over minivans because of the results of safety tests such as those obtained by the IIHS.

“My partner was going to buy a car and it arrived at a safe place, but when they looked at the results of the side inspection, the van was doing badly, so they bought an SUV,” he said.

Fennell added that many older vans have low hoods that he and others believe have helped increase driver visibility, but said many newer vans “look like SUVs.”

Fennell said his group does not make recommendations for cars, but he said “we say people need to look closely at what their needs are and how they will use the car.”