2026 Tesla Model 3 Safety Rating
Midsize luxury cars Β· Current IIHS listing Β· IIHS source checked 2026-09-16
The 2026 Tesla Model 3 scores 91.7/100, ranking #3 of 5 current midsize luxury cars and #59 of 136 vehicles overall with complete IIHS records. It does not hold a current IIHS award.
Results below Good: Moderate overlap front (updated test) rated Acceptable, Headlights rated Acceptable. Rear-passenger restraints in the updated moderate-overlap test: Good; rear-passenger head protection: Good.
Which build and equipment does this score describe?
Latest applicable build; standard AEB and lowest current-trim headlight rating. Headlights use the lowest rating among applicable current trims; this is a conservative equipment baseline, not a claim that every trim has identical results. Confirm the production date and equipment of the car you are buying.
Headlights: baseline Acceptable
- Acceptable β Trim level(s): All trims
Pedestrian crash prevention: baseline Good
- Good β standard Collision Avoidance Assist. Rating applies to all 2025-26 models
Vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention 2.0: baseline Good
- Good β standard Collision Avoidance Assist. Rating applies to all 2025-26 models
Optional-system results are shown separately. Combining the best rating from different packages does not establish that one purchasable configuration earns them all. Check IIHS equipment details.
IIHS crash-test results
Detailed results by test (52 entries)
IIHS publishes these under the test they belong to, so the same label can appear more than once. Rear restraints and kinematics, rear head protection, structure and safety cage, and front restraints are the four that count toward the score (25%).
Small overlap front
Rating applies to 2025-26 models
Small overlap front
Rating applies to 2025-26 models
Moderate overlap front: updated test
Rating applies to 2025-26 models
Side: updated test
Rating applies to 2025-26 models
Headlights
Β· Trim level(s): All trims
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0
Rating applies to all 2025-26 models Β· standard Collision Avoidance Assist
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Rating applies to all 2025-26 models Β· standard Collision Avoidance Assist
Seat belt reminders
Rating applies to 2025-26 models
Child seat anchors
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Opens on iihs.org in a new tab
How the score is built
IIHS crash-test videos
These videos are embedded on IIHSβs ratings page for this model. The tested vehicle may be an earlier model year or a related version whose results IIHS applies to this vehicle. Check the test description and source for the exact coverage.
Load a player to watch on this page, or use the YouTube link. Video footage helps explain the test; the published injury measurements and ratings are the basis for comparison.
Small overlap front: Passenger-side
Tested vehicle: 2025 Tesla Model 3 Long Range 4-door
Rating applies to 2025-26 models
Moderate overlap front: updated test
Tested vehicle: 2025 Tesla Model 3 EV 4-door 2wd
Rating applies to 2025-26 models
Side: updated test
Tested vehicle: 2025 Tesla Model 3 4-door 2wd
Rating applies to 2025-26 models
Real-world context
| Measure | Result | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Class driver death rate | 23 per million registered vehicle-years | Midsize luxury cars as a class, adjusted for driver age and sex (Farmer, 2023); all vehicles average 38. Class context only. |
| Tesla Model 3 2WD (2019-20) driver death rate | 15 (95% CI 0β33) | Earlier model years of this nameplate; class average for that study 24.8. Reflects who bought and drove those cars as well as the car. |
| Tesla Model 3 4WD (2019-20) driver death rate | 52 (95% CI 9β96) | Earlier model years of this nameplate; class average for that study 24.8. Reflects who bought and drove those cars as well as the car. |
| Theft claim frequency (Tesla Model 3 electric 4dr 4WD) | 1 (100 = average) | HLDI whole-vehicle theft, 2022β24 model years: 1% of average. See the theft ranking. |
| Theft claim frequency (Tesla Model 3 electric 4dr) | 2 (100 = average) | HLDI whole-vehicle theft, 2022β24 model years: 2% of average. See the theft ranking. |
Compared with other midsize luxury cars
Closest-scoring current midsize luxury cars with complete IIHS records, plus the class leader. See every midsize luxury car ranked β
| Vehicle | Class rank | IIHS award | Rear restraints | Starts at | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Audi A5 | #1 of 5 | TSP+ | $50,200 | 94.7 | |
| 2026 Mercedes-Benz C Class | #2 of 5 | TSP | $49,650 | 93.3 | |
| 2026 Tesla Model 3 (this page) | #3 of 5 | β | $36,990 | 91.7 | |
| 2026 BMW 3 Series | #4 of 5 | β | $47,500 | 84.2 | |
| 2026 Audi A3 | #5 of 5 | β | $40,100 | 79.7 |
Other model years of the Tesla Model 3
| Model year | Status | IIHS award | Primary tests reported | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Tesla Model 3 | Archived | TSP+ | 4/4 | 91.7 |
Each model year keeps its own record. Ratings from one year are never copied to another unless IIHS states the test applies.
Our analysis
The 2026 Tesla Model 3 belongs to the Midsize luxury cars class. This class has a below-average driver death rate compared with the national average of 38 deaths per million registered vehicle-years. The class figure is adjusted for driver age and sex, which removes a large part of the selection effect in raw death rates. It is still a class average, not a measurement of this model.
The Tesla Model 3 has no IIHS Top Safety Pick award in the 2026 award cycle. That can mean a result below the award threshold in one test, or tests IIHS has not completed. Absence of an award is not evidence that the vehicle is unsafe.
Across the 6 IIHS rating categories reported, the Tesla Model 3 earned 2 Good ratings. Results below Good deserve attention, especially the updated frontal and side tests that IIHS toughened in 2022 and 2023. Our updated crash test analysis explains what changed.
This analysis is produced independently; we have no affiliation with Tesla or any manufacturer. Read the full methodology or learn more about us.
Tesla death rates vs. crash tests. Tesla scores well in crash tests but has above-average brand-level driver death rates. We separate the evidence and the four possible explanations.
International crash-test results
Euro NCAP and ANCAP results are provided for reference. Because market versions can differ in structure and equipment, they are not factored into the US score.
Safety recalls for the 2026 Tesla Model 3
We do not have a verified NHTSA recall lookup for this model and year. An unmatched or unavailable lookup is not evidence of a clean recall record.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. A recall applies to a range of build dates, not necessarily every car of this model year, so confirm against your own VIN. Recalls do not affect the safety score on this page.
Use this score on your own site
Writing about the 2026 Tesla Model 3? Paste this badge into a post or forum reply. It updates on its own whenever IIHS publishes new results for this model.
Free to use with the link left intact. The badge is a plain image and an ordinary link, with no tracking script.
Questions about the 2026 Tesla Model 3
Is the 2026 Tesla Model 3 a safe car?
The 2026 Tesla Model 3 scores 91.7/100 in our published formula and ranks #3 of 5 current midsize luxury cars with complete IIHS records. It does not hold a current IIHS award.
What is the 2026 Tesla Model 3 IIHS rating?
IIHS reports: small overlap front = Good; moderate overlap front: updated test = Acceptable; side: updated test = Good; headlights = Acceptable; seat belt reminders = Marginal; latch ease of use = Acceptable.
Is the 2026 Tesla Model 3 an IIHS Top Safety Pick?
No. The 2026 Tesla Model 3 does not hold an IIHS Top Safety Pick award for the 2026 model year, which can reflect a result below Good in a qualifying test or tests that IIHS has not yet completed.
How does the 2026 Tesla Model 3 compare with other midsize luxury cars?
The class leader is the 2026 Audi A5 at 94.7/100. The comparison table on this page lists the closest-scoring current midsize luxury cars with complete records.
Continue comparing
Shopping for a family? Compare three-row vehicles and rear-seat evidence. Buying used? See real driver death rates by model.