If you are looking for one of the safest cars, you should consider a Tesla Model Y. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has again awarded the electric SUV its Top Safety Pick+ awards for 2023. The electric SUV earned the award for the third year in a row, matching the streak of the Model 3, even though the agency has made its standards more stringent this year.
Only 48 cars qualified for this year’s version of the awards. Twenty models earned the Top Safety Pick category, while 28 qualified for the Top Safety Pick+ category. The updated standards dropped the number of winners from last year when 65 models qualified for the Top Safety Pick+ award.
David Harkey, IIHS president, explained the dwindled pool of winners this year: “The number of winners is smaller this year because we’re challenging automakers to build on the safety gains they’ve already achieved. These models are true standouts in both crashworthiness and crash prevention.”
One of the additions to the tests the cars went through is nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention. The IIHS added it to address the growing cases of pedestrian crashes.
However, despite the latest addition, the Model Y earned the top safety award. It is one of the three EVs with stellar marks, including the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Rivian R1T, a feat the former achieved last year. Interestingly the Model 3 could not retain the award that it won in 2022 and in prior years.
The IIHS scored Model Y “Good” on its side-impact tests. The car got the same rating for the new nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention test. You can view the results of all the tests, including results from prior years, on the IIHS website.
Another reason you might want to buy the Model Y is that it is currently at its lowest price.
