10 SUVs That Aren’t As Safe As You’d Think & 10 Small Cars With Higher Safety Ratings
Bigger Doesn’t Automatically Mean Safer
SUVs can feel safer because they’re larger, taller, and more commanding from the driver’s seat, but crash-test ratings don’t always hand them an automatic gold star. The IIHS notes that larger, heavier vehicles generally offer more protection than smaller, lighter ones, but its Top Safety Pick awards are based on performance within size categories, and some small cars still earn higher IIHS award status than some SUVs. Here are 10 SUVs that aren't as safe as you'd think and 10 small cars with higher safety ratings.
1. Dodge Durango
The Dodge Durango may look like the kind of SUV that could shrug off trouble, but its IIHS ratings are more mixed than its size suggests. The 2025 Durango has an incomplete small-overlap front rating because it has only been tested on one side, and its ratings apply across a long model range from 2011-26. That doesn’t mean every Durango is a disaster, but it does mean shoppers shouldn’t assume its big, muscular shape tells the whole safety story.
2. Jeep Wrangler 4-Door
The Jeep Wrangler 4-door is loved for its personality, trail ability, and open-air fun, but it hasn’t always been a star student in safety testing. Recent IIHS coverage has noted that the 2025 Wrangler didn't earn an award in the evaluated batch, even as some ratings improved for newer model years. That rugged image can make people assume it’s automatically protective in every situation, but crash-test results are more complicated than that.
3. Volkswagen Tiguan
The Volkswagen Tiguan has the polished vibe many shoppers want from a compact SUV, but its recent IIHS result includes a serious weak spot. IIHS reported that the 2025-26 Tiguan missed out on an award because of a Poor rating in the moderate overlap front test. That’s especially notable because the Tiguan otherwise looks like a practical, sensible choice.
4. Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross may seem like a safe-enough small SUV by default, but its IIHS profile includes weaker areas that deserve a closer look. The Eclipse Cross is among the models with more mixed results rather than a clean top-award story. Its ratings also apply across multiple model years, so the exact year matters when you’re shopping.
5. Jeep Compass
The Jeep Compass has the familiar Jeep name and the approachable size many buyers like, but its safety-rating picture isn’t as comforting as the badge might suggest. In the IIHS small SUV class summary, it appears among current models with weaker or mixed results in key evaluated areas. That doesn’t erase its usefulness, but it does make the assumption that a small SUV is safer than a car look shaky.
6. Kia Seltos
The Kia Seltos is stylish, practical, and easy to like, but this is one of the models worth checking carefully because some IIHS ratings land below the highest level. That can surprise shoppers who assume newer small crossovers all come with excellent crash-prevention and crashworthiness scores. The Seltos may still fit your life well, but its safety details deserve more than a quick skim.
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7. Chevrolet Trailblazer
The Chevrolet Trailblazer looks cheerful and city-friendly, but its IIHS results include weaker areas compared with top-rated rivals. Small SUVs are often marketed as practical little confidence boosters, yet the Trailblazer shows why each test category matters.
8. Buick Envista
The Buick Envista has a sleek shape and a more upscale feel than some budget-friendly crossovers, but that doesn’t automatically put it near the top of the safety charts. Its IIHS small SUV summary results include weaker-rated areas, which makes it a model worth investigating closely.
9. Chevrolet Trax
The Chevrolet Trax has become popular because it’s affordable, practical, and much better-looking than people might expect at the price. Still, the IIHS small SUV class summary shows weaker results in some areas, so it’s not a vehicle to judge on value alone. Budget-friendly doesn’t have to mean bad, but it does mean you should know exactly what trade-offs you’re accepting.
10. Volkswagen Taos
The Volkswagen Taos is another compact SUV that may look sensible at first glance, but its IIHS results are more uneven than some shoppers might expect. The small SUV class summary lists current ratings across crashworthiness, headlights, and crash-prevention categories, and the Taos doesn’t present the cleanest top-tier picture.
Now that we've talked about the SUVs that necessarily aren't as safe as they look, let's talk about the small cars that have surprisingly stellar safety ratings.
1. Honda Civic Hatchback
The 2025-26 Honda Civic hatchback earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status, which gives this small car serious bragging rights. It’s proof that a compact footprint doesn’t automatically mean second-tier ratings.
2. Hyundai Elantra
The 2025-26 Hyundai Elantra earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status for vehicles built after October 2024. For shoppers who want a smaller sedan with a strong safety award, it’s worth checking out. The Elantra shows that small cars can absolutely hold their own.
3. Kia K4
The 2025-26 Kia K4 is listed as an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winner for vehicles built after January 2025. That’s a strong showing for a compact sedan, especially in a market where SUVs tend to hog the attention. It also makes the K4 a good reminder that newer small cars can come with serious safety credentials.
4. Mazda 3 Hatchback
The 2025-26 Mazda 3 hatchback earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status, which pairs nicely with its reputation for feeling a little more upscale than expected. This is one of those small cars that quietly walks into the ratings conversation and does very well. It may not tower over traffic, but it has the award status many shoppers want.
5. Mazda 3 Sedan
The 2025-26 Mazda 3 sedan also earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status, so the hatchback doesn’t get all the glory. That gives shoppers two body styles with the same top award level on the IIHS list. So, if you prefer a traditional trunk, you don’t have to give up the higher rating just to get it.
6. Toyota Prius
The 2025-26 Toyota Prius earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status, giving it more than just fuel-economy bragging rights. A lot of people still think of the Prius mainly as the practical hybrid choice, but its safety award deserves attention, too. It’s small, efficient, and clearly not just coasting on its old reputation.
7. Honda Accord
The 2025-26 Honda Accord is technically a midsize car, but it’s still a lower-slung alternative for shoppers who don’t actually need an SUV. It earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status, which puts it above several SUVs that only earned the lower award tier. The Accord also brings the kind of roomy cabin that makes the SUV argument a little less automatic.
8. Hyundai Ioniq 6
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status, making this sleek electric sedan a strong safety-rated option. It’s a good reminder that EV shoppers don’t have to jump straight to crossovers to find high-rated choices. The Ioniq 6 brings modern tech, a distinctive shape, and a top IIHS award together in one package, making it a pretty sweet deal.
9. Hyundai Sonata
The 2025-26 Hyundai Sonata earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status for vehicles built after November 2024. Like a few others on this list, the build date is not a boring footnote; it’s part of the safety story. The Sonata gives sedan shoppers another higher-rated alternative to some larger SUVs. It’s a nice little win for people who still like a regular car-shaped car.
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10. Toyota Camry
The 2025-26 Toyota Camry earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status, which helps explain why it remains such a stubbornly popular choice. It’s not tiny, but it’s still a car rather than an SUV, and it outranks several utility vehicles. The Camry’s strength here is that it combines familiarity with a top-tier
