Automotive Safety Highlights of 2025: IIHS Recognizes Vehicles Safeguarding Rear Passengers
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced updated requirements for its Top Safety Pick (TSP) and Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+) awards, focusing on enhanced protection for rear-seat passengers. The changes, which include an updated moderate overlap front crash test featuring a rear-seat dummy, have led to a significant reduction in the number of qualifying vehicles for 2025.
The updated moderate overlap test, introduced in 2022, aims to address a concerning shift in crash safety dynamics where belted rear-seat occupants now face a higher risk of fatal injuries than those in the front. To qualify for the TSP, vehicles must earn at least an acceptable rating in this updated test, while TSP+ contenders must achieve a good rating.
As a result of the stricter testing, only 48 models have qualified for either award so far in 2025, compared to 71 models last year. The majority of winners are SUVs, with small and midsize SUVs leading in safety performance. Notably absent from the list of winners are minicars, large cars, minivans, and small pickups.
Automakers are now encouraged to incorporate advanced seat belt technologies and safety innovations for rear-seat occupants to meet these standards. Major U.S. market players, such as Honda, have shown adaptation to the new protocols across various vehicle segments, with several models qualifying for TSP and TSP+ in 2025. Brands known for safety, like Volvo, continue to excel, with models such as the Volvo XC90 maintaining Top Safety Pick+ status under the new criteria.
In the small SUV category, the Genesis GV60, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Hyundai Kona, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-30, Mazda CX-50, Subaru Solterra, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Kia EV9, Kia Telluride, Mazda CX-70, Mazda CX-70 PHEV, Mazda CX-90, Mazda CX-90 PHEV, Nissan Pathfinder, and Genesis GV70 built after April 2024 have secured awards.
In the midsize luxury SUV category, the 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, and Volvo XC90 built before December 2024 have earned awards.
In summary, the 2025 IIHS Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards raise the focus on rear-seat occupant protection, driving automakers to enhance rear-seat safety features, resulting in fewer winners but notably higher safety standards across awarded models. To earn either award, vehicles must also achieve good ratings in the small overlap front test, the updated side-impact evaluation, have pedestrian crash prevention systems that perform well in both daytime and nighttime conditions, and all trim levels must feature headlights rated as acceptable or better.
- The science of automotive safety plays a significant role in the evolution of the health-and-wellness industry, as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has set stricter requirements for its Top Safety Pick (TSP) and Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+) awards that prioritize improved protection for rear-seat passengers.
- The finance sector is deeply intertwined with the transportation industry, as the tightened criteria for the TSP and TSP+ awards have led to a decrease in the number of qualifying vehicles for 2025, impacting both the number of purchasable options for consumers and the financial performance of automotive manufacturers.
- The fitness-and-exercise landscape could potentially benefit from advancements in the automotive sector, as the growing emphasis on safety innovations for rear-seat occupants, like advanced seat belt technologies, may pave the way for transportation systems that accommodate gym equipment and wellness amenities, providing commuters with the opportunity to stay active even during their daily commutes.
