There are plenty of SUVs on the market to choose from, but that can only make your decision more difficult. After all ,how do you choose between two SUVs that are roughly the same size, price, and equipped with similar features? For some, it will come down to safety. If that’s the case for you, you may want to take a look at all of the winners of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ winners. This list includes only those sport utility vehicles that have met the strictest safety requirements.

The 2022 Ford Explorer 4-door SUV is one of the safest midsize SUVs, according to the IIHS

The IIHS considers the 2022 Ford Explorer to be one of the safest vehicles one can buy. This is evidenced by its most recent award. The IIHS gives the new Explorer its highest safety award, the Top Safety Pick+ award. The 2022 Ford Explorer gets a good or better in all major categories. It has acceptable headlights standard on both available trim levels. This is the minimum to qualify for the Top Safety Pick+ award. In addition, it has advanced or superior safety systems.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade is a Top Safety Pick+ winner

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade has essential driving safety features like forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and blind spot-monitor. The Palisade also has adaptive cruise control and rear parking sensors.

Only some 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe models qualify for the award

Only 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles that were built after July 2021 qualify for the Top Safety Pick+ award. The Top Safety Pick+ award has been around since 2013, and it’s given only to vehicles that ace all the tests. These measure things like crashworthiness, crash prevention, and headlights.

The 2022 Mazda CX-9 is a great choice for a safe midsize SUV

Not only is the 2022 Mazda CX-9 an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winner, it’s also a great SUV for teen drivers. The 2022 Mazda CX-9 has a ton of safety features, making this a great option for a teen driver. While many SUVs offer some standard safety systems, the CX-9 is loaded with the essentials. Some of the safety systems that come standard in the Mazda CX-9 include blind-spot monitoring, smart city brake support with both day and night-time pedestrian detection, and rear cross traffic alert.

The 2022 Nissan Murano takes home a top safety award

The 2022 Nissan Murano is one of the safest new midsize SUVs for families. That’s because of its combination of great crash test ratings as well as its excellent car seat LATCH safety systems. It has a good + (G+) rating for the car seat LATCH system. That’s the highest award that a vehicle can win for car seats.

Only some 2022 Nissan Pathfinder models qualify for the safety award

Only 2022 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles that were built after July 2022 qualify for the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. To win the coveted Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle must have good crash test ratings in all major categories. It also has to have superior or advanced safety systems and acceptable or good headlights standard on all models.  

The 2022 Subaru Ascent is an IIHS favorite

In addition to being an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ winner, the 2022 Subaru Ascent has great crash prevention systems. The Subaru Ascent has a standard front crash prevention system: vehicle-to-vehicle system that gets a superior rating. This is the highest award that a crash prevention system can fit. The vehicle-to-pedestrian also gets a superior rating.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander is a Top Safety Pick+ award winner

The 2022 Toyota Highlander isn’t just one of the IIHS’ best new SUVs for your teen drivers, it’s also a Top Safety Pick+. On top of that, it’s loaded with safety features. It comes standard with pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, and cruise control.

The 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 is one of the safest midsize SUVs

If you want one of the safest SUVs, the 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 isn’t just a Top Safety Pick+ winner, it’s also the only electric SUV to win the award.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan is a great choice if you’re looking for safety

Another Volkswagen to make the list of midsize SUVs with an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award is the 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan. This is a small three-row SUV with excellent safety ratings.