Almost a perfect result — with only two small blemishes. The refreshed Tesla Model Y went through a new round of testing by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and it came away with the top Top Safety Pick+ award. The 2026–2027 crossover earned a Good rating in all six key disciplines that determine this status.
The Model Y confidently handled the small- and moderate-overlap front tests before taking on the updated side crash test. In that test, a deformable barrier weighing about 1.9 metric tons strikes the vehicle at roughly 60 km/h. And that was not all: IIHS also gave top marks to the headlights, the automatic braking system for avoiding other vehicles, and the pedestrian crash-prevention system.
The numbers are just as convincing. In the updated moderate-overlap front test, brake-pedal intrusion into the occupant compartment measured 60 mm. The steering column moved upward by only 10 mm and showed virtually no rearward movement. The rear-seat passenger dummy’s kinematics also received the top Good rating.
Still, there were a couple of weak points. The seat belt reminder system was rated Marginal: IIHS found some of the audible warnings too short, and the second row lacks a separate visual belt-status indication when the vehicle starts. The LATCH child-seat anchors were rated Acceptable because the lower anchors sit too deep in the seats.
So what is the verdict? Those two issues did not stop Tesla from taking Top Safety Pick+, because the seat belt reminder and LATCH usability checks are not mandatory criteria for the award. Where it matters most — crash protection and crash avoidance — the refreshed Model Y met IIHS requirements with top ratings.
