Brand rankings updated 2026-09-04
Safest Car Brands of 2026
26 car brands ranked by sales-weighted real-world driver death rates, with 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick counts for each brand so you can see both what the crash record says and what the newest models have earned.
By real-world results, BMW is the safest car brand, with a sales-weighted driver death rate of 2.8 per million registered vehicle years across 2 models (grade A+). By current IIHS awards, Mazda leads with 9 Top Safety Pick+ models in 2026. Both readings are below, and the gap between a brand's best and worst model is usually larger than the gap between brands.
All 26 brands ranked by driver death rate
Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, weighted by each model's sales so best-sellers count more than niche models. Lower is better. The last two columns show how many current models each brand has in IIHS records and how many earned a 2026 award.
| Rank | Brand | Weighted death rate | Grade | Models in study | Best model | Worst model | Current models tested | TSP+ / TSP (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BMW | 2.8 | A+ | 2 | BMW X3 4WD (0) | BMW X5 4WD (6) | 7 (4 complete) | 3 / 0 |
| 2 | Volvo | 4.5 | A+ | 2 | Volvo XC90 4WD (4) | Volvo XC60 4WD (5) | 10 (4 complete) | 1 / 2 |
| 3 | Audi | 5.8 | A+ | 3 | Audi Q5 4WD (2) | Audi A4 4WD (17) | 13 (12 complete) | 7 / 1 |
| 4 | Lexus | 5.9 | A+ | 6 | Lexus ES 350 (0) | Lexus NX 300 4WD (13) | 6 (2 complete) | 1 / 0 |
| 5 | Porsche | 6.0 | A+ | 1 | Porsche Macan (6) | Porsche Macan (6) | No current IIHS models | n/a |
| 6 | Acura | 9.8 | A+ | 4 | Acura RDX 4WD (6) | Acura TLX 2WD (31) | 4 (3 complete) | 0 / 0 |
| 7 | GMC | 18.0 | A | 7 | GMC Canyon Crew Cab 4WD (5) | GMC Yukon 2WD (24) | 4 (2 complete) | 0 / 0 |
| 8 | Subaru | 18.2 | A | 7 | Subaru Outback (5) | Subaru Impreza sedan (46) | 11 (9 complete) | 4 / 0 |
| 9 | Mercedes-Benz | 22.6 | B | 6 | Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan 4WD (0) | Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class 2WD (64) | 4 | 0 / 2 |
| 10 | Cadillac | 26.4 | B | 2 | Cadillac Escalade 4WD (26) | Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD (27) | 3 (1 complete) | 0 / 0 |
| 11 | Honda | 28.9 | B | 11 | Honda Odyssey (6) | Honda Civic hatchback (78) | 11 | 2 / 2 |
| 12 | Genesis | 30.0 | B | 1 | Genesis G80 (30) | Genesis G80 (30) | 7 (6 complete) | 5 / 0 |
| 13 | Jeep | 32.2 | B | 11 | Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD (12) | Jeep Cherokee 2WD (55) | 6 (3 complete) | 0 / 0 |
| 14 | Ram | 35.1 | C | 9 | Ram 1500 Classic Quad Cab 4WD (23) | Ram 2500 Mega Cab 4WD (65) | 1 | 0 / 0 |
| 15 | Ford | 36.4 | C | 18 | Ford Edge 4WD (6) | Ford Mustang convertible (97) | 12 (6 complete) | 0 / 2 |
| 16 | Chrysler | 38.0 | C | 3 | Chrysler Pacifica 2WD (20) | Chrysler 300 4WD (100) | 2 (1 complete) | 0 / 0 |
| 17 | Volkswagen | 40.2 | C | 2 | Volkswagen Atlas 4WD (20) | Volkswagen Jetta (47) | 8 (4 complete) | 0 / 2 |
| 18 | Toyota | 40.5 | C | 15 | Toyota C-HR (2) | Toyota Corolla (58) | 21 (14 complete) | 2 / 1 |
| 19 | Chevrolet | 42.5 | C | 24 | Chevrolet Traverse 4WD (6) | Chevrolet Spark (151) | 9 (5 complete) | 0 / 0 |
| 20 | Buick | 43.1 | C | 6 | Buick Enclave 4WD (23) | Buick Encore 2WD (64) | 3 (2 complete) | 0 / 1 |
| 21 | Tesla | 46.0 | C | 3 | Tesla Model 3 2WD (15) | Tesla Model 3 4WD (52) | 3 | 2 / 0 |
| 22 | Nissan | 58.9 | D | 10 | Nissan Pathfinder 2WD (0) | Nissan Altima (113) | 9 | 3 / 1 |
| 23 | Mitsubishi | 63.2 | D | 6 | Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 4WD (28) | Mitsubishi Mirage G4 (205) | 4 (0 complete) | 0 / 0 |
| 24 | Dodge | 69.6 | D | 8 | Dodge Durango 4WD (24) | Dodge Challenger 2WD (154) | 1 (0 complete) | 0 / 0 |
| 25 | Hyundai | 71.7 | F | 6 | Hyundai Santa Fe 2WD (17) | Hyundai Accent (152) | 11 (9 complete) | 7 / 1 |
| 26 | Kia | 76.8 | F | 8 | Kia Sorento 4WD (26) | Kia Rio sedan (122) | 10 (8 complete) | 5 / 0 |
Grades: A+ (under 10), A (10 to 20), B (20 to 35), C (35 to 50), D (50 to 70), F (over 70). Death rates count driver fatalities only, per million registered vehicle years, from the IIHS driver death rate study (2017 to 2020 model years). Best and worst model figures are that model's own rate. Why driver-only? "Current models tested" counts every 2026 model the brand has in IIHS records; "complete" means the full set of primary tests has been reported.
Most IIHS awards in 2026
The current-model reading. Brands sorted by Top Safety Pick+ count, then Top Safety Pick count, from the same scored records as our main ranking. Larger lineups naturally collect more awards, so the "models tested" column matters.
| Rank | Brand | TSP+ | TSP | Models tested | Best current model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mazda | 9 | 0 | 9 | 2026 Mazda CX 5 (95.6/100) |
| 2 | Audi | 7 | 1 | 13 | 2026 Audi Q5 (97.2/100) |
| 3 | Hyundai | 7 | 1 | 11 | 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 (96.8/100) |
| 4 | Genesis | 5 | 0 | 7 | 2026 Genesis GV80 (98.6/100) |
| 5 | Kia | 5 | 0 | 10 | 2027 Kia Telluride (96.8/100) |
| 6 | Subaru | 4 | 0 | 11 | 2026 Subaru Forester (94.3/100) |
| 7 | BMW | 3 | 0 | 7 | 2026 BMW X3 (97.2/100) |
| 8 | Nissan | 3 | 1 | 9 | 2026 Nissan Murano (92.9/100) |
| 9 | Tesla | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2027 Tesla Model Y (98.6/100) |
| 10 | Toyota | 2 | 1 | 21 | 2026 Toyota Tundra (94.0/100) |
Full award list: every 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ winner.
How the brand ranking works
Two sources, kept separate on purpose.
Sales-weighted death rates
For each brand we average the driver death rates of its models in the IIHS study, weighted by estimated sales. A brand's best-seller moves its score more than a niche model does.
Real deaths, not star ratings
The rate is driver fatalities per million registered vehicle years for 181 models across 26 brands. It reflects vehicle design, size, and who tends to drive each model, all at once.
Current awards, counted separately
The award table counts 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and Top Safety Pick winners per brand from current crash tests. Awards describe today's models; death rates describe models from a few years ago. Neither is folded into the other.
Key takeaways
The top of the death-rate list: BMW, Volvo, Audi
These three brands have the lowest sales-weighted driver death rates (2.8, 4.5, and 5.8). Heavier vehicles, stronger safety engineering, and more cautious driver demographics all contribute; the data cannot separate them.
The bottom: Kia, Hyundai, Dodge
Lineups heavy on small, light cars or high-powered models push a brand's average up. Kia's weighted rate is 76.8, but its best model (Kia Sorento 4WD, 26) still beats many models from higher-ranked brands.
Model choice beats badge
Within most brands the best and worst models are dozens of deaths per million apart. A large SUV from a mid-ranked brand usually has a lower death rate than a small car from a top-ranked one. Pick the model, then the brand.
Two rankings, two questions
Death rates answer "how did this brand's recent models actually perform on the road?" Award counts answer "how do this brand's newest models do in current crash tests?" A brand can lead one list and sit mid-pack on the other.
Questions people ask
What is the safest car brand?
Measured by real-world results, BMW has the lowest sales-weighted driver death rate of the 26 brands in the IIHS death rate study, at 2.8 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years (grade A+). Measured by current IIHS awards, Mazda leads with 9 Top Safety Pick+ models in 2026. Brand is only a starting point: the safest and least safe models within one brand are often far apart.
Is Mazda the safest car brand?
Consumer Reports named Mazda its safest brand in February 2026 based on the current models it tests, and that is a fair reading of current crash tests and awards. In our 2026 data Mazda has 9 current models in IIHS records with 9 Top Safety Pick+ and 0 Top Safety Pick awards. Mazda has too few models in the IIHS driver death rate study to appear in our historical death-rate ranking, so the two readings cannot be compared directly. See every current Mazda ranked.
Is Tesla a safe brand?
On historical driver death rates Tesla ranks #21 of 26 brands, at 46.0 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years (grade C), based on 3 models. In current IIHS records Tesla has 3 models with 2 Top Safety Pick+ and 0 Top Safety Pick awards. Crash tests and real-world death rates do not always agree, so we cover the evidence separately on our Tesla safety page. Read the Tesla safety evidence.
Which car brand has the most Top Safety Pick awards?
Mazda has the most IIHS Top Safety Pick+ awards in our 2026 data, with 9 TSP+ and 0 TSP models out of 9 current models tested. Award counts favor brands with large lineups, so also check how many of a brand's models were tested at all.
Keep comparing
Brand pages: Acura · Alfa Romeo · Audi · BMW · Buick · Cadillac · Chevrolet · Chrysler · Dodge · Ford · Genesis · GMC · Honda · Hyundai · Infiniti · Jeep · Kia · Lexus · Lincoln · Mazda · Mercedes-Benz · Mitsubishi · Nissan · Ram · Rivian · Subaru · Tesla · Toyota · Volkswagen · Volvo