Toronto, Ontario -- The 2025 Tesla Model Y and the 2025 Volvo XC90 Plug-In Hybrid have earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick+ award.
The Top Safety Pick+ award is the highest rating given to vehicles by the IIHS, with the Top Safety Pick award ranking below it. This year, only 48 vehicles earned Top Safety Pick+ or Top Safety Pick awards compared to 71 vehicles in 2024 due to the IIHS increasing second-row occupant protection requirements.
The awards are based on eight criteria, in which vehicles are rated from poor to good. Of the criteria, three are not part of the award criteria—vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention 2.0, seat belt reminders and LATCH ease of use—but the IIHS notes that they may be useful for consumers when making purchase decisions.
To qualify for either award, vehicles must receive good ratings in the small overlap front and side tests, as well as an acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention evaluation and headlights. An acceptable rating in the moderate overlap front test qualifies for the Top Safety Pick award, but vehicles must have a good rating to qualify for the Top Safety Pick+.
Tesla’s 2025 Model Y received a good rating in six of the eight categories, an acceptable rating in LATCH ease of use and was not rated on seat belt reminders. Volvo’s 2025 XC90 Plug-In Hybrid received a good rating in five of the eight categories and an acceptable rating in front crash prevention: pedestrian, front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0 and LATCH ease of use. The award only applies to Volvos built after December 2024.
Vehicles that did not receive an award but have new ratings available are the 2025 Chevrolet Colorado, the 2025 GMC Canyon and the 2025 Jeep Wrangler.
