For the third consecutive year, Mazda has taken the top spot in IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards, earning eight of them for its 2026 lineup. No other automaker matched that number this year, and the streak is notable given that the IIHS has made its requirements tougher each time. The organization updated its 2026 criteria to put more weight on pedestrian crash prevention, rear seat protection, and crash avoidance technology, raising the bar for every brand competing for the award.
Mazda's eight winning models are the Mazda3 Sedan, Mazda3 Hatchback, CX-30, CX-50, CX-70, CX-70 PHEV, CX-90, and CX-90 PHEV. Each of these vehicles comes standard with a full suite of crash avoidance technology, including Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Smart Brake Support, and Lane Departure Warning. Mazda equips every new vehicle with these features regardless of trim level, which is part of why the brand performs consistently across the board rather than only in select configurations.
IIHS President David Harkey pointed out that Mazda is delivering top-tier safety features at a wide range of price points, noting that the Mazda3 starts at $24,550 and the all-new 2026 CX-5 starts at $29,990. Four of the eight TOP SAFETY PICK+ winning models start under $30,000, making the recognition more meaningful than if it applied only to higher-end vehicles.
Jennifer Morrison, Director of Vehicle Safety Strategy at Mazda North American Operations, credited the results to the brand staying consistent with its philosophy rather than chasing criteria. Since 2008, Mazda has earned 99 IIHS Top Safety awards in total, including 73 at the TOP SAFETY PICK+ level. That record reflects nearly two decades of work rather than any single year of effort, and the 2026 results continue a track record that has grown stronger as testing standards have become more demanding.
