The safest small SUV in our current 2026 ranking is the 2026 Mazda CX 5, scoring 95.6/100 with an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. It leads 28 small SUVs with complete IIHS records; 18 more are still missing at least one test and are listed separately below.
All current small SUVs 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 Mazda CX 5 | Small SUVs | TSP+ | Good | 95.6 |
| #2 | 2026 Subaru Forester | Small SUVs | TSP+ | Good | 94.3 |
| #3 | 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 | Small SUVs | TSP+ | Good | 93.1 |
| #3 | 2026 Hyundai Tucson | Small SUVs | TSP+ | Acceptable | 93.1 |
| #3 | 2026 Kia Sportage | Small SUVs | TSP+ | Acceptable | 93.1 |
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| #6 | 2026 Genesis GV60 | Small SUVs | TSP+ | Good | 91.7 |
| #6 | 2026 Hyundai Kona | Small SUVs | TSP+ | Acceptable | 91.7 |
| #8 | 2026 BMW X1 | Small SUVs | TSP+ | Acceptable | 90.6 |
| #8 | 2026 Mazda CX 30 | Small SUVs | TSP+ | Acceptable | 90.6 |
| #8 | 2026 Mazda CX 50 | Small SUVs | TSP+ | Acceptable | 90.6 |
| #11 | 2026 Honda HR V | Small SUVs | TSP+ | Acceptable | 89.2 |
| #12 | 2026 Nissan Rogue | Small SUVs | β | Acceptable | 86.5 |
| #13 | 2026 Chevrolet Equinox | Small SUVs | β | Acceptable | 85.8 |
| #14 | 2026 Acura ADX | Small SUVs | β | Marginal | 81.5 |
| #15 | 2026 Toyota Corolla Cross | Small SUVs | β | Marginal | 78.8 |
| #16 | 2026 Subaru Solterra | Small SUVs | β | Acceptable | 77.5 |
| #16 | 2026 Subaru Trailseeker | Small SUVs | β | Acceptable | 77.5 |
| #16 | 2026 Toyota Bz | Small SUVs | β | Acceptable | 77.5 |
| #16 | 2026 Toyota Bz Woodland | Small SUVs | β | Acceptable | 77.5 |
| #20 | 2026 Kia EV6 | Small SUVs | β | Poor | 69.3 |
| #21 | 2026 Ford Bronco Sport | Small SUVs | β | Marginal | 69.1 |
| #22 | 2026 Nissan Kicks | Small SUVs | β | Marginal | 68.2 |
| #23 | 2026 Honda CR V | Small SUVs | β | Poor | 66.6 |
| #24 | 2026 Buick Envista | Small SUVs | β | Good | 63.7 |
| #24 | 2026 Chevrolet Trax | Small SUVs | β | Good | 63.7 |
| #26 | 2026 Kia Seltos | Small SUVs | β | Acceptable | 61.5 |
| #27 | 2026 Volkswagen Taos | Small SUVs | β | Acceptable | 61.2 |
| #28 | 2026 Jeep Compass | Small SUVs | β | Good | 54.1 |
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 small SUVs 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 $22K | 2026 Chevrolet Trax | 63.7 | ~$21,700 |
| $22Kβ$24K | 2026 Nissan Kicks | 68.2 | ~$22,730 |
| $24Kβ$25K | 2026 Toyota Corolla Cross | 78.8 | ~$24,635 |
| $25Kβ$28K | 2026 Hyundai Kona | 91.7 | ~$25,500 |
| $28Kβ$29K | 2026 Kia Sportage | 93.1 | ~$28,690 |
| $29K+ | 2026 Mazda CX 5 | 95.6 | ~$29,990 |
18 current small SUVs 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 BMW X2 | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Buick Encore GX | 2/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Ford Escape | 4/4 | 4/4 | β |
| 2026 GMC Terrain | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Hyundai Venue | 2/4 | 2/4 | β |
| 2026 Lexus UX | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Lincoln Corsair | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Mini Countryman | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross | 3/4 | 4/4 | β |
| 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid | 3/4 | 3/4 | β |
| 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport | 1/4 | 1/4 | β |
| 2026 Subaru Uncharted | 2/4 | 2/4 | β |
| 2026 Toyota C HR | 2/4 | 2/4 | β |
| 2026 Volvo EC40 | 2/4 | 2/4 | β |
| 2026 Volvo EX40 | 1/4 | 2/4 | β |
| 2026 Volvo XC40 | 3/4 | 4/4 | β |
What the class context means
IIHS classifies small SUVs by size and weight, not price, so this list mixes mainstream and entry-luxury models. The class has a standardized driver death rate about 11% above the all-vehicle average, which the score treats as context, not as a verdict on any one model.
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 small SUV in 2026?
The 2026 Mazda CX 5 leads our current ranking of small suvs with a score of 95.6/100 from published IIHS tests and a Top Safety Pick+ award. 28 small suvs have complete records; ties share a rank.
Are small SUVs safer than small cars?
On average, yes. IIHS driver death rates for small SUVs run below those for small cars of the same era, mostly because of the extra mass and ride height. Individual models vary widely, which is why this page ranks each one.
Why are some small SUVs missing from the ranking?
A vehicle enters the ranked list only when IIHS has published all four primary tests and all four selected occupant-protection details for that model year. Redesigned models often wait months for the updated tests, so they appear in the provisional table below until the results exist.
Keep comparing
Other rankings by type: Midsize SUVs Β· Large SUVs Β· Luxury SUVs Β· Sedans Β· Compact cars Β· Pickup trucks 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