The 2024 Subaru Solterra joins a handful of other electric vehicles in earning the industry's toughest safety award with Top Safety Pick+ recognition, the IIHS revealed Thursday.
The IIHS has tightened the requirements to earn its highest Top Safety Pick+ and second-tier Top Safety Pick awards for 2024. Another 91 models are still eligible for at least one award, with 38 receiving the Top Safety Pick+ award. That compares to 65 models that received one of the IIHS awards for 2023, when the agency also revised its approach to making its awards harder to come by.
The following electric vehicles have received TSP+:
- Genesis Electrified G80
- Genesis GV60
- Genesis Electrified GV70
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Hyundai Ioniq 6
- Rivian R1T
- Subaru Soltera
- Tesla Model Y RWD
A few models received a lower Top Safety Pick award. That list includes:
- Audi Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback
- Audi Q8 E-Tron and Q8 Sportback
- Lexus RZ
- EV9
- Nissan Ariya
- Rivian R1S
- Tesla Model Y AWD
- Toyota Prius Prime
- Volkswagen ID.4
2024 Tesla Model Y. – Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
The IIHS has introduced a more rigorous side crash test for 2023, using a heavy-duty barrier that moves at high speeds when impacting the vehicle. An “Acceptable” or “Good” score was enough to earn the Top Safety Pick award last year, but in 2024 only the top “Good” score qualifies cars for the award.
The cars also needed an “Acceptable” or “Good” rating in the revised 2024 pedestrian crash prevention test. This test includes daytime and nighttime conditions, which were previously scored separately.
The IIHS is also introducing a revised front-center test for 2024, which adds a second crash test dummy behind the driver and takes a closer look at rear seat safety. An “Acceptable” or “Good” score on this test was required for the Top Safety Pick+ award, while a “Good” rating on the old test was required for the Top Safety Pick award.
As before, the cars also need “Good” scores in the IIHS's minimum-collision front crash test and “Good” or “Acceptable” headlights in all trim levels to receive any award.
There's been a lot of talk about EV safety, although it's not really related to crash performance. The IIHS warned last year that fires are not an EV safety concern, but weight is. That's backed up by a recent study, which found that EVs are more likely to survive US guard rails.
Meanwhile, the CEO of Stellantis recently argued that acceleration is an EV's safety asset—though that's debatable. Don't expect the IIHS to include that in its safety assessment.