The second-generation Kia Telluride has claimed the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest honor — TOP SAFETY PICK+ in the 2026 ratings. But there is a catch that is easy to miss: IIHS is evaluating the 2027-model-year Telluride, and the award applies only to crossovers built after June 2026.
And this is not about a weak body structure or a failed crash test. The reason is far more mundane — the headlights. IIHS rated the early Telluride units as “marginal” for headlight performance, while vehicles built later received the top Good rating. That single change opened the door to TOP SAFETY PICK+.
In the main crash tests, the Telluride did not stumble at all. The crossover earned Good ratings in the small-overlap front test, the updated moderate-overlap front test and the updated side-impact test. Its standard crash-prevention systems also earned Good ratings both for reactions to another vehicle and in pedestrian tests.
IIHS requirements for TOP SAFETY PICK+ in 2026 leave little room for compromise. A vehicle must earn Good ratings in all three main crash tests, come standard with headlights rated at least Acceptable, score Good for pedestrian crash prevention and at least Acceptable for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. The Telluride built after the June update cleared that bar.
And it is not alone in Kia's lineup. Alongside the Telluride, the K4, EV9, Sorento and Sportage currently hold IIHS's highest award. But buyers face fine print there too: Sorento and Sportage also have production-date restrictions. In other words, the model-year badge alone does not guarantee TOP SAFETY PICK+ — the build date really matters.
Earlier it was reported that Kia will show the PV7 on September 14 and expand its family of commercial electric vehicles.
