Crash-test results carry real weight for buyers cross-shopping three-row and compact SUVs built around kids, car seats and long highway trips. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety puts each model through a battery of structural and crash-avoidance evaluations that few vehicles pass at the highest level. Here are eleven family SUVs that have drawn strong marks from IIHS testing in recent years.
1. Subaru Ascent: Three-Row Space, Strong Structure
Subaru’s largest SUV seats up to eight passengers across three rows and has earned IIHS Top Safety Pick recognition in recent model years, pairing a reinforced cabin structure with standard all-wheel drive and a full suite of driver-assist hardware.
IIHS awards are tied to a specific model year and can hinge on trim level or headlight equipment, so a shopper checking a used Ascent should confirm the exact year and build rather than assume the rating carries over automatically to every version on a lot.
2. Honda Pilot: Redesigned Body, Family Focus
Honda’s three-row hauler was reengineered with a boxier, more rigid body and a wider stance, and it has posted strong results in IIHS structural testing since its most recent redesign reached showrooms nationwide.
Because the qualifying criteria tighten with each testing cycle, a Pilot from an earlier generation or a lower trim level may not carry the same award as the current lineup, so the specific model year and trim always matter to a buyer.
3. Toyota Highlander: Long-Running Family Favorite
The Highlander has been a fixture in the three-row segment for roughly two decades and has drawn favorable IIHS crash ratings across several of its more recent generations and available trim levels.
Its long production run means safety scores vary widely by model year and body style, so a rating earned by a current Highlander should never be assumed for an older example sitting on a used-car lot down the street.
4. Mazda CX-90: Flagship Build, Reinforced Cabin
Mazda’s largest and most upscale SUV was engineered on a stiffer, longitudinally laid-out platform than the models it replaced, and it has drawn praise in independent crash evaluations for its occupant protection and structural design.
As with any newly launched model, its award status can shift as IIHS retests updated trims or introduces tougher criteria in later years, so buyers should check the current listing rather than assume the rating holds indefinitely across every trim.
5. Hyundai Palisade: Roomy Cabin, Solid Scores
Hyundai’s largest SUV combines three rows of seating with a wide list of standard driver-assistance features, and it has turned in strong results in IIHS crashworthiness testing across several recent model years and trim levels.
IIHS awards are granted per model year and can depend on which headlight package a given trim carries, so a Palisade’s rating is never automatically transferable to every year or configuration sitting on a dealer lot.
6. Kia Telluride: Award-Winning Three-Row
The Telluride built a reputation quickly after its launch, collecting repeated IIHS Top Safety Pick honors alongside strong resale demand across the crowded three-row segment.
Because the qualifying criteria change from one testing cycle to the next, a Telluride’s exact award tier depends on the model year and headlight trim rather than the nameplate alone, so it pays to check the specific build and year before buying one on the used market.
7. Volkswagen Atlas: Big Body, Tested Structure
Volkswagen’s largest SUV for the U.S. market offers three rows of seating inside a wide body, and it has posted solid marks in IIHS structural and crash-avoidance tests across recent years.
Ratings on the Atlas have shifted between model years as IIHS updated its test protocols and headlight requirements, so a given year’s result should be confirmed rather than assumed from an earlier or later model year sitting on the same dealer lot.
8. Subaru Outback: Wagon Shape, Family Duty
The Outback blends wagon proportions with SUV-like ride height, and it has been a regular name on IIHS Top Safety Pick lists thanks to standard all-wheel drive and a full suite of driver-assist technology.
Its long model history means older Outbacks were tested under looser criteria than current ones, so the award attached to a recent model year does not automatically apply to a used example from a decade back on the used market.
9. Honda CR-V: Best-Seller, Tested Repeatedly
As one of the best-selling compact SUVs in the country, the CR-V has been through more IIHS crash evaluations than almost any rival, with its recent generations earning consistently strong marks overall.
Headlight rating and front-crash-prevention scores have varied by trim within a single model year, so the specific version and year matter more than the nameplate alone when checking whether a particular rating actually applies to a given CR-V.
10. Mazda CX-50: Rugged Compact, Solid Marks
Positioned as a more off-road-capable compact SUV, the CX-50 rides on a wider stance than Mazda’s other small crossovers and has drawn favorable results in recent IIHS testing across its lineup.
Because it is a newer nameplate, its award history is shorter than older rivals, and buyers should verify the specific model year and trim rather than assume every CX-50 built so far qualifies equally for the same honor from testers.
11. Toyota Grand Highlander: Bigger Body, More Room
Built to give the standard Highlander lineup more third-row legroom and cargo space, the larger Grand Highlander has posted strong results in IIHS crash testing since it first reached dealer lots nationwide.
As a recently introduced model, its rating could change as IIHS evaluates additional trims or updates its criteria in future testing cycles, so the current listing remains the only reliable source of truth for any given model year.
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