IIHS Standards Have Become So Tough Only 6 Small Cars So Far This Year Have Earned Top Safety Pick Ratings
Posted on 9/23/2026 by Agent009
Small car safety is often cited as one of the reasons why people buy bigger, and in general, it's hard to argue that they're wrong. A smaller car will almost always come off second best against a larger car in a crash, especially if they come from comparable eras with similar philosophies on construction and crumple zones. The simple science is that big cars have more momentum in a crash, and the smaller car will absolutely get blasted out the way. But that doesn't mean small cars are unsafe.
In 2026, eight small cars have earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick award, and of those, six have gone a step further to be awarded as a Top Safety Pick+. That plus at the end is huge, and for safety-conscious buyers, it can be the difference between buying a car or walking away from a great deal. But what do all these cars have in common? Aside from being small, there's not a single American or European car on the list. Asia dominates, and the cars that earn these awards are all great cars to drive, too.