Mazda topped the 2026 ranking of the safest brands, after more than 75% of its current range received the highest rating, the largest proportion among the 29 brands assessed by Consumer Reports.
The ranking reshuffled prominent carmakers, with Genesis, Acura and Lincoln moving up, while Volvo fell and Tesla entered the bottom five. The US body specialising in product testing, assessment and consumer protection used a multi-criteria system called the Safety Verdict, which divides vehicles into three grades: Basic, Better and Best.
Safety Verdict criteria go beyond crash tests
The assessment goes beyond traditional crash-test results to measure a vehicle’s ability to avoid accidents and handle emergencies, as well as the level of protection it provides in a collision. The methodology includes test results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA.
It also considers braking performance, emergency manoeuvring capability, the availability of accident-avoidance systems as standard equipment, and how easily the interior controls can be used without distracting the driver. At the same time, the European New Car Assessment Programme, Euro NCAP, raised its requirements in 2026.
The organisation increased the required level of pedestrian protection from 40% to 60%, and made automatic emergency braking systems and collision-avoidance technologies core requirements of the assessment, broadening the concept of safety to include both occupants and pedestrians.
Mazda bolsters lead with nine safety awards
Mazda strengthened its position by leading in the number of Top Safety Pick+ awards presented by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, with nine of its models available in the US market receiving the award in 2026. The results reflected the company’s approach of making safety a core element of its vehicle design and technologies, rather than merely an addition related to structural protection in a collision.
The company uses the i-Activsense active-safety system, which combines radar and cameras to monitor the vehicle’s surroundings in real time. The system includes front and rear smart brakes, a blind-spot monitoring system, and technologies to avoid collisions while turning and when crossing traffic intersections, supporting preventive intervention before accidents occur.
These features enabled the CX-5 to win a Top Safety Pick+ award, as well as receive the full five-star rating from European and Australian bodies. The model thus combines electronic prevention features, structural protection and technologies designed to detect road users outside the vehicle.
Genesis and Acura follow Mazda
Luxury brand Genesis came second, with around 80% of its range receiving excellent ratings. It also won five Top Safety Pick+ awards for the GV60, GV70, GV80, G80 and G90 models. Acura, Honda’s luxury arm, ranked third with 75%, benefiting from ratings for the Integra and RDX models.
Lincoln rose to fourth place after more than half of its sport utility vehicle models received the highest rating, making it the only US brand in the top five. Hyundai ranked fifth, with a safety score of 60%.
Honda came sixth, followed by Nissan, Audi, Subaru and Kia, completing the top 10 brands in the 2026 assessment. Volvo, meanwhile, dropped out of the top 10 despite its historical association with safety standards and its vehicles’ continued strong performance in structural crash tests.
Volvo and Tesla fall in the rankings
The assessment attributed Volvo’s decline mainly to its excessive reliance on touchscreens to control essential functions, which may increase driver distraction. Tesla ranked among the five lowest-scoring brands, alongside Rivian, Jeep and Mitsubishi, while Land Rover came last.
The low positions of these brands were linked to delays in testing some models, as well as the challenges faced by large vehicles in braking and manoeuvring tests and in handling emergency conditions.
The 2026 assessment reflects a shift in the definition of a safe car. The criterion is no longer limited to protecting occupants after a collision; it now includes the vehicle’s ability to prevent an accident before it happens, the speed of its response to emergencies on the road, and the ease of using its essential systems and functions without distracting the driver from driving.
