Tesla Cybertruck Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ for 2025

The Tesla Cybertruck has earned one of the industry’s most demanding safety distinctions. In its final safety ratings for 2025, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the Cybertruck a Top Safety Pick+, making it the only pickup truck to reach the highest tier.

IIHS evaluated 20 newly tested vehicles in its year-end update and awarded safety honors to 16 models across several segments. While multiple electric sedans and SUVs qualified, pickup trucks largely struggled. The Cybertruck stood apart, meeting all the criteria required for the top designation. The Toyota Tundra also earned Top Safety Pick+ earlier in the year, though with lower overall performance across the test categories.

To qualify for Top Safety Pick+, vehicles must earn “Good” ratings in the updated moderate overlap front crash test, both small overlap front crash tests, and the revised side-impact evaluation. They must also score at least “Acceptable” in pedestrian crash prevention and headlight performance. The Cybertruck achieved “Good” ratings across all major crashworthiness tests and for its headlights.

The Cybertruck met every IIHS requirement for Top Safety Pick+, clearing the institute’s most demanding crash and safety evaluations for 2025.

Pickup trucks often face added challenges in IIHS testing. Their size, higher ride height, and weight distribution can complicate crash energy management and pedestrian protection. Those issues showed up again this year, with several gas-powered pickups failing to qualify for either IIHS safety award.

Tesla’s approach appears to have made the difference. The Cybertruck’s structural design departs from traditional body-on-frame construction, and Tesla implemented mid-year updates to the front underbody and footwell structure aimed at improving occupant protection in frontal crashes. Those changes proved enough to meet IIHS’s tightened standards.

The Cybertruck’s result also aligns with Tesla’s broader safety performance. The Model 3 earned a Top Safety Pick rating for 2025, and both vehicles hold five-star overall crash ratings from U.S. federal regulators.

IIHS reported 66 Top Safety Pick+ winners and just 18 Top Safety Pick recipients for 2025, a sharp reduction from the previous year. The drop reflects stricter testing protocols and a greater emphasis on real-world crash scenarios and pedestrian safety.

For truck buyers, the outcome is clear. As safety benchmarks rise, fewer vehicles qualify at the top. The Cybertruck’s performance shows how newer design strategies can deliver strong results under tougher standards.

Source: DriveTesla