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Safety is as much a part of buying a new SUV as utility. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recognizes that, too, and it ranks SUVs, cars and trucks based on their safety ratings. A Top Safety Pick is good, but if you see the little +, or plus mark, that’s an even better IIHS rating. For 2022, only two small Toyota SUVs earned the + mark: the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross and the Toyota RAV4 Prime.

Is the Toyota RAV4 a safe vehicle?

2021 Toyota RAV4 on a beach
Toyota RAV4 | Toyota

The Toyota RAV4 earned a Top Safety Pick designation, but only the RAV4 Prime earned the Top Safety Pick+, which is interesting because they’re nearly the same SUV. The RAV4 Prime aced the side test, while the RAV4 Prime earned the highest rating from the IIHS. The Prime also earned higher marks for its rear passenger head protection and for its better headlights, according to the IIHS.

The RAV4 has far more top marks than many other SUVs, it’s just that the RAV4 Prime has more. The Prime is a plug-in hybrid SUV with an MSRP of $39,800, while the top trim XSE starts at $43,125. The Base two-wheel drive gas-powered RAV4 starts at about $27,000. But RAV4 Primes are hot and in short supply right now and dealers are asking a steep premium.

What is the safety rating of the Toyota Corolla Cross?

Front angle view of gold 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross
2023 Toyota Corolla Cross | Toyota

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross gets a Top Safety Pick+ award, just like its four-door car namesake, the 2022 Toyota Corolla. The Corolla Cross is an all-new for 2022 SUV from Toyota and it’s based on the Corolla sedan. It has a starting MSRP of $22,195, which makes it one of the least expensive SUVs to earn the + designation.

The Corolla Cross earns top marks from the IIHS in nearly every category but for its headlights. However, with a step-up in trim levels to the XLE, you can get better LED projector beams that earn it a top rank. It also comes in a hybrid version.

What other small SUVs earned the Top Safety Pick+ award?

The Volvo XC40 also earned a Top Safety Pick+ Award.
2023 Volvo XC40 | Volvo

The list for 2022 models is long and includes 12 other small SUVs. The Volvo C40, XC40 and XC40 Recharge are on the list. The Subaru Forester is the only Subaru on the list, while both the Mazda CX-5 and CX-30 earned the plus. The Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Rogue, Kia Seltos, and the Chevy Trailblazer made the list for 2022 with the Ford Bronco Sport and the Hyundai Tucson. The Hyundai IONIQ 5 is the only small EV SUV to earn the +.

What does the IIHS test for?

2022 Toyota Corolla Cross earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation.
2022 Toyota Corolla Cross| Joe Santos, MotorBiscuit

For a lot of us, safety is a prime factor in buying a new SUV. The IIHS is a non-profit that scores vehicles based on dozens of criteria. The IIHS crash tests vehicles and rates each for a variety of options and features.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.