The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded its highest Top Safety Pick+ rating to the 2026 Hyundai Palisade and Toyota Prius, strengthening their safety credentials in the latest round of evaluations.
The Palisade qualifies following improvements in the moderate overlap front crash test. However, only models built after November 2025 are eligible, as Hyundai revised the rear seat belt buckle design to meet updated standards.
Meanwhile, the Prius moves up from its earlier Top Safety Pick rating after performing better in IIHS’s updated vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention test introduced last year.
To achieve a Top Safety Pick or higher, vehicles must score well in multiple crashworthiness tests, including moderate overlap, small overlap, and side impact evaluations, while also offering acceptable or good headlights across all variants. The Top Safety Pick+ rating further requires strong pedestrian crash prevention performance and improved results in the updated front crash prevention tests, with these systems fitted as standard.
