The Toyota Prius passed the moderate overlap front test with a good rating in 2025 that helped push it toward a Top Safety Pick+ award in 2026.

IIHS

Most of the latest batch of cars didn’t fare well in the the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash testing and safety ratings. Of 16 models, only two received the highest award as a Top Safety Pick+: the 2026 Hyundai Palisade and 2026 Toyota Prius. The new awards were announced late Wednesday night from the nonprofit vehicle safety group.

The Prius, considered a small sedan with a hatchback trunk, had previously been a lower Top Safety Pick, but earned the “plus” after improved vehicle-to-vehicle front crash testing. It earned an acceptable rating for its headlights and “good” for all other categories.

The 2025 Prius was distinguished as a Top Safety Pick after earning a good rating for the moderate overlap crash test and other high marks in updated testing last year. It hadn’t tested on the updated vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention test so it didn’t earn a plus until now. All 2026 models of the Prius are designated as Plus.

The Prius is a traditional hybrid, which doesn’t require plugging in to recharge its battery, but offers good fuel efficiency with 57 miles per gallon on the base trim. The new 2026 model starts at just under $30,000. It now comes in LE, XLE, Nightshade Edition and Limited trims. The top trim starts at just over $35,500 with 52 mpg. It features a glass roof and 12.3-inch front touchscreen compared to the base’s 8-incher.

The Prius joins a list of 45 vehicles with the top award for 2026, including several all-electric options like the Tesla Cybertruck, Rivian R1S, Volvo EX90 and Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9.

Fourteen other models didn’t qualify for either award, but those all did receive updated safety ratings for 2026. The vehicles that didn’t quite make it to an award include 2026 models of the Nissan Frontier pickup, Toyota Sequoia SUV, Kia K4 hatchback, Jeep Compass, Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Maverick hybrid truck and Honda Ridgeline pickup.

The only all-electric vehicle that attempted a higher safety rating was the 2026 BMW i4, which received a poor rating for its front crash prevention between two vehicles. Its headlights were also rated marginal and poor, keeping the luxury sedan out of reach of a safety award, even the lower tier.

Not a consideration for the agency’s awards, but the i4 also struggled with seat belt reminders, earning only a marginal rating.