What Are the Safest SUVs You Can Buy in 2024?
These SUVs have the highest safety ratings. Which one is right for you?
Bob HernandezWriterMotorTrend StaffPhotographerManufacturerPhotographer
If you're looking for a new car, safety is probably top of mind. But how do you know which vehicles are the safest? This would be impossible without rigorous testing conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. To make things easier, we've assembled this list of the safest SUVs you can buy in 2024 based on scores from both agencies. All the SUVs here received an IIHS 2024 Top Safety Pick+ award, that agency's highest distinction. If rated by NHTSA, they earned a five-star overall score.
It's promising to see so many SUVs earn an IIHS award despite the agency adopting stricter criteria this year. Keep reading to learn about some of the safest SUVs for 2024.
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2024 Acura MDX: Safety Ratings and Features
Just as the 2023 MDX won IIHS' top award last year, the 2024 MDX snags a 2024 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ accolade. It received a Good score in the updated side text and an Acceptable score in the updated moderate overlap front test. In the LATCH ease of use evaluation, it earned top marks for extra child seat anchor points. However, it got a Poor rating for seat belt reminders that took too long to initiate and were too short as well as not loud enough. NHTSA gave FWD versions of the luxury midsize SUV its highest grade, a five-star overall safety rating. AWD models didn't receive an overall rating or a rollover resistance grade, but both MDX models earned five stars in side impact tests.
Standard active safety features include automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beams, traffic sign recognition, and lane keeping. Choosing the Technology package unlocks low-speed braking control, parking sensors, and rain-sensing automatic windshield wipers. Most systems work as advertised, but we've had our frustrations with the MDX's lane centering capability.
2024 Acura MDX: Pros and Cons
The MDX looks modern and fast, and most trim levels come well-equipped. We also appreciate how easy it is to get in and out of the third row, and the cabin is generally high-end in look and feel. The SUV isn't all that quick in reality, though, and its rear seating is on the rigid side. Plus, it features a touchpad interface on the center console for the infotainment display that's not as easy to use as a traditional touchscreen.
2024 BMW X3: Safety Ratings and Features
BMW's compact SUV makes a clean sweep of IIHS crashworthiness and crash avoidance and mitigation tests on its way to a 2024 Top Safety Pick+. NHTSA recognizes the X3 in a similar way. All RWD and AWD trim levels receive a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA except the M performance model, which has not been rated.
Every 2024 X3 features standard lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. Add a hands-free driving system, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping with the available Driving Assistance Professional package.
2024 BMW X3: Pros and Cons
The X3 isn't a standout, but in many ways it's just right. Its cabin is well built, technology is modern, and cargo capacity is one of the best in the class. It's not very quick with its base 2.0-liter turbo-four, though, and the interior could use some additional visual interest. Although it's one of the safest SUVs on the market, many of its direct competitors are more compelling.
2024 Ford Explorer: Safety Ratings and Features
Although it performed poorly in the seat belt reminder evaluation, the Ford Explorer still earned the institute's highest recognition, 2024 Top Safety Pick+. Likewise, NHTSA gave the three-row SUV its top five-star overall grade. It picked up five stars each in the administration's front and side impact tests.
Depending on grade, active safety features include automatic high-beams, rear parking sensors, and Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite. This adds a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping, and automatic emergency braking. It also features adaptive cruise control, which we've noted in this application can quickly decelerate too suddenly based on changes in the posted speed limit.
2024 Ford Explorer: Pros and Cons
With its punchy turbocharged engines and RWD, the Explorer can be fun to drive for a big SUV, but dynamic refinement issues mar more prosaic driving. Its cabin could be better, too. Space and easy access are commendable, but build quality and equipment leave something to be desired. It's fine for the brand faithful, but the Explorer has largely been surpassed by rivals in a class it helped create.
2024 Genesis GV80: Safety Ratings and Features
As one of the safest SUVs, the 2024 GV80 gets an IIHS 2024 Top Safety Pick+, but only those made after August 2023. (For what it's worth, the 2023 is a 2022 Top Safety Pick+, which was tested with some older standards.) The Genesis luxury midsize SUV is also NHTSA five-star safety rated overall, receiving five stars in side impact crash testing and four stars in the front crash test and rollover evaluation.
Genesis doesn't hold back standard safety tech for the GV80. Each gets automatic emergency braking, lane keeping, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beams, and a driver focus monitor. A highway driving assist with lane centering is also standard.
2024 Genesis GV80: Pros and Cons
Much about the GV80 luxury SUV qualifies as high end. Passengers are enveloped by the cabin's premium materials and opulent finishes, and we love how beautifully it's styled. Driving one isn't as inspiring, though. Its base turbo-four is underpowered, the upgrade V-6 is just as coarse, and the ride can occasionally become harsh. A strong set of standard features increases the appeal of this safe SUV, though.
2024 Honda HR-V: Safety Ratings and Features
Scoring Good grades in all crash categories tested, the HR-V secures an IIHS 2024 Top Safety Pick+ designation. The FWD version also earned a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA. AWD models are unrated overall but received five stars in front and side impact tests.
Every HR-V comes with standard Honda Sensing. The active safety technology suite includes automatic emergency braking, lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and automatic high-beams. Higher trim levels also receive a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert and parking sensors.
2024 Honda HR-V: Pros and Cons
A forgettable exterior design gives way to a delightful cabin that draws inspiration from the current Honda Civic. Tactile buttons and knobs, as well as an abundance of standard features, make a good impression. So do its great ride and handling balance. It's just too bad its non-turbo inline-four is both underpowered and excessively loud under heavy throttle input.
2024 Kia Telluride: Safety Ratings and Features
The Telluride aced IIHS testing, landing itself a 2024 Top Safety Pick+ award. Although it also received a five-star overall rating from NHTSA, the three-row SUV scored one star fewer in each of the administration's front impact and rollover resistance evaluations.
The 2024 Telluride comes with Kia's Drive Wise active driver assist suite. Standard features include lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, driver focus monitor, rear occupant alert, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist, and intersection detection. Forward parking sensors, a blind-spot monitor view, 360-degree camera, digital rear view mirror, and Highway Driving Assist 2 semi-autonomous driving technology are also available. It boasted the best lane keeping and centering of all competitors in a three-vehicle MotorTrend family-SUV comparison.
2024 Kia Telluride: Pros and Cons
This 2020 SUV of the Year winner remains one of the best in its class and an excellent value for shoppers in the market for a spacious family hauler. The Telluride boasts proper boxy SUV exterior design and drives with the ride and handling of something smaller. Its user-friendly cabin features comfortable seating and excellent packaging with plenty of space for everything. Downsides include a single engine option with only average fuel economy and a too-small third row.
2024 Mazda CX-30: Safety Ratings and Features
Mazda's CX-30 is another SUV to score exceptionally well in IIHS tests, even netting top marks in the LATCH ease of use evaluation for an extra set of child seat anchors. It gets the institute's 2024 Top Safety Pick+ award, as well as a five-star overall rating from NHTSA.
Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and a driver focus monitor are standard active safety features. Mazda also includes a standard blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and automatic high beam-equipped automatic headlights. Higher trims come with a 360-degree camera and front and rear parking sensors.
2024 Mazda CX-30: Pros and Cons
An enjoyable ride and coddling interior are CX-30 strengths, Mazda trading sportiness for refinement instead. The crossover's design is excellent, too, boasting an elegant, fluid exterior and upscale, well-built cabin. But the turbo engine doesn't feel any more powerful than the non-turbo, outward visibility is compromised, and space in back—both passenger and cargo—trails behind the competition.
2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class: Safety Ratings and Features
IIHS gives this luxury midsize SUV its highest rating, 2024 Top Safety Pick+, but only for models featuring available Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function and the Driver Assistance Plus package. The award does not include GLEs with standard Active Brake Assist, which is what Mercedes calls automatic emergency braking. As for NHTSA, at the time of writing, it had not yet rated the 2024 GLE, but the same-generation 2023 model received a five-star overall safety rating.
In addition to Active Brake Assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high-beams, parking sensors, a driver focus monitor, and a crosswind stability feature are also standard. The Driver Assistance Plus package brings in adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera.
2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class: Pros and Cons
The GLE450e plug-in hybrid is appealing for it 50-plus miles of all-electric range and unusual (for a PHEV) fast-charging capability. The quieter form of AMG performance delivered by the GLE53 might be the lineup's sweet spot, but it also starts to get pricey. We have been less enthused about the pre-2024 non-mild hybrid GLE350 base model, which lacks refinement. All GLEs have a cumbersome infotainment user interface.
2024 Nissan Pathfinder: Safety Ratings and Features
The Pathfinder is a 2024 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, but the award only applies to models built after November 2023. Last year's SUV got the institute's top award, as well. From NHTSA, both Pathfinder FWD and AWD models score a five-star overall safety rating. Last year, only the AWD received the administration's top prize.
Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, lane keeping, automatic headlights, rear parking sensors, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert are standard on every 2024 Pathfinder. Higher trim levels come with standard adaptive cruise control, front parking sensors, and a 360-degree camera.
2024 Nissan Pathfinder: Pros and Cons
From its 2022 redesign, this Pathfinder emerged with more rugged looks and a more capable AWD system. Space is generous in the ute, the cabin is peaceful, and rear ingress and egress are easier than ever. Driving one is not very exciting, though—its steering is numb and suspension is slightly stiff. The interior styling is also dull.
2024 Subaru Ascent: Safety Ratings and Features
The only blemish on the Ascent's IIHS test results is an Acceptable rating in the institute's updated front impact moderate overlap evaluation. It didn't stop the Subaru from earning a 2024 Top Safety Pick+ award. The three-row SUV also took home a NHTSA five-star overall safety rating. It scored five stars in the front and side impact tests, too, but it received only four stars for rollover resistance.
Adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane keeping, and automatic high-beams are standard on every 2024 Ascent. The Premium model unlocks blind-spot and rear cross-traffic monitoring, reverse automatic emergency braking, and an automatic emergency steering feature.
2024 Subaru Ascent: Pros and Cons
A strong turbocharged four-cylinder engine and AWD off-road capability are standard in every trim, contributing to the Ascent's appeal. It also boasts a spacious cabin with a large infotainment display and clever storage solutions. However, the third row is small. Vanilla styling and a high premium for leather seats are other negatives.
2024 Tesla Model Y: Safety Ratings and Features
Tesla's luxury compact SUV receives IIHS' highest awards—as in, both of them. The Model Y dual-motor AWD receives a 2024 Top Safety Pick accolade, while the single-motor RWD gets the better 2024 Top Safety Pick+. The Y also scores NHTSA five-star ratings overall and for each test category.
Every Model Y features Tesla's Autopilot suite of active safety technology. It combines lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. Enhanced Autopilot adds autonomous parking assist and automatic lane changing assist. Hands-free Full Self-Driving Beta is also available but may not do what it advertises.
2024 Tesla Model Y: Pros and Cons
Teslas are known for their quickness and industry-leading range, and that includes the Model Y. Charging speeds enabled by the automaker's Supercharger network are also a plus. We appreciate how spacious the Y is inside, but the available third row isn't big enough for adults. It's a well-rounded electric ute, but build quality remains a potential concern, as does Full Self-Driving Beta.
