The safest pickup truck in our current 2026 ranking is the 2026 Tesla Cybertruck, scoring 96.5/100 with an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. It leads 12 pickup trucks with complete IIHS records; 7 more are still missing at least one test and are listed separately below.
All current pickup trucks ranked by safety
Equal scores share a rank. The score is 55% primary IIHS tests, 25% selected occupant-protection details, 10% pedestrian front crash prevention, and 10% class context. Missing evidence never counts as passing.
| Rank | Vehicle | Class | IIHS award | Rear restraints | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 2026 Tesla Cybertruck | Large pickups | TSP+ | Good | 96.5 |
| #2 | 2026 Toyota Tundra | Large pickups | TSP | Good | 94.0 |
| #3 | 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz | Small pickups | β | Acceptable | 81.2 |
| #4 | 2026 Rivian R1T | Large pickups | β | Marginal | 79.7 |
| #5 | 2026 Jeep Gladiator | Small pickups | β | Good | 78.3 |
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| #6 | 2026 Nissan Frontier | Small pickups | β | Acceptable | 74.8 |
| #7 | 2026 Ford Maverick | Small pickups | β | Marginal | 74.2 |
| #8 | 2026 Toyota Tacoma | Small pickups | β | Poor | 72.8 |
| #9 | 2026 Ram 1500 | Large pickups | β | Poor | 62.5 |
| #10 | 2026 Ford F 150 | Large pickups | β | Poor | 57.5 |
| #11 | 2026 Honda Ridgeline | Small pickups | β | Marginal | 51.2 |
| #12 | 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | Large pickups | β | Marginal | 40.5 |
Rear restraints is the IIHS rear-passenger restraints and dummy-kinematics result from the updated moderate-overlap test; it is the single detail that most often separates otherwise similar vehicles.
Safest pickup trucks at every price
A vehicle appears here only if it is safer than every cheaper option, so each row is the best score available at that budget.
| Your budget | Safest choice | Score | Starting around |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $29K | 2026 Ford Maverick | 74.2 | ~$27,145 |
| $29Kβ$41K | 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 81.2 | ~$29,750 |
| $41Kβ$69K | 2026 Toyota Tundra | 94.0 | ~$41,260 |
| $69K+ | 2026 Tesla Cybertruck | 96.5 | ~$69,990 |
7 current pickup trucks still waiting on complete IIHS results
These vehicles are listed so you can see what has been tested. A missing result is never treated as a pass or a fail, so they are not ranked.
| Vehicle | Primary tests reported | Detail results reported | IIHS award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Chevrolet Colorado | 3/4 | 4/4 | β |
| 2026 Ford F 150 | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Ford F 150 Lightning | 2/4 | 2/4 | β |
| 2026 Ford Ranger | 4/4 | 4/4 | β |
| 2026 GMC Canyon | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 | 2/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Toyota Tundra | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
What the class context means
Large pickups have a standardized driver death rate below the all-vehicle average; small pickups sit near it. Several trucks rate Poor or Marginal for rear-passenger protection in the updated moderate-overlap test, which is visible in the rear-restraints column.
Every vehicle on this page is scored with the same published formula as the main ranking. The full method, the exact weights, and the missing-evidence rules are on the methodology page.
Questions people ask
What is the safest pickup truck in 2026?
The 2026 Tesla Cybertruck leads our current ranking of pickup trucks with a score of 96.5/100 from published IIHS tests and a Top Safety Pick+ award. 12 pickup trucks have complete records; ties share a rank.
Why do pickups do poorly in the updated rear-seat test?
IIHS added a rear-seat dummy to the moderate-overlap test in 2022. Many crew-cab pickups showed high head and neck forces or belt loading for that rear occupant, which produces Marginal or Poor rear-restraint results even when the front seat rates Good.
Are pickups dangerous to other drivers?
Yes, more than any other class. Tall, heavy trucks produce the highest other-driver death rates in IIHS data. This ranking scores only occupant protection; see the danger-to-others analysis for the other half.
Keep comparing
Other rankings by type: Small SUVs Β· Midsize SUVs Β· Large SUVs Β· Luxury SUVs Β· Sedans Β· Compact cars Β· Electric vehicles Β· Hybrids Β· Under $30,000 Β· Under $40,000 Β· Under $50,000 Β· Top Safety Pick winners Β· Teen drivers Β· Lowest-rated