2026 Mazda IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ Models

Award coverage: Sedan and Hatchback earn separate awards.

Headlights: Good or Acceptable, depending on trim.

Vehicle-to-vehicle prevention 2.0: Acceptable.

The Mazda3 is where we'd start if you want to stay with a compact car. Both body styles earn the top IIHS award, so safety recognition doesn't decide Sedan versus Hatchback for you. How you use the car does.

The Sedan gives you a traditional trunk and separation between passengers and cargo. The Hatchback opens the rear for bulkier items that are easier to load through a liftgate. We'll have you sit in both, open the cargo areas, and drive them back to back. Our 2026 Mazda3 trim comparison takes the next step once you know which body style works better for you.

IIHS category: Small SUV.

Headlights: Good.

Vehicle-to-vehicle prevention 2.0: Acceptable.

The CX-30 makes sense when you like the maneuverability of a smaller vehicle but prefer SUV seating and cargo access. That combination fits a week that moves between parking lots and local errands, then stretches onto I-205 or I-580 for longer drives.

Its Good headlight rating strengthens the safety picture. From there, we'll have you check the seating height, sightlines, rear-seat access, and usable cargo depth. Our 2026 CX-30 trim guide shows where comfort, visibility technology, and turbo performance enter the lineup after you've decided the CX-30 itself is the right size.

Model-year distinction: Redesigned for 2026.

Headlights: Good or Acceptable, depending on trim.

Vehicle-to-vehicle prevention 2.0: Good.

The redesigned CX-5 changes the middle of Mazda's small-SUV comparison. If the CX-30 feels tighter than you want but you still prefer a manageable two-row SUV, the CX-5 gives you another place to land before you start looking at larger models.

Even if you've driven or owned a previous CX-5, we'll start fresh with the 2026 model. Sit in the new cabin, check the controls and visibility, then look at the cargo area with the things you regularly carry in mind. If the CX-50 is also on your list, put them side by side and let the differences in layout and powertrain choice do the deciding. Our 2026 Mazda CX-5 trim guide then narrows the redesigned lineup by equipment.

Award coverage: The CX-50 award includes the CX-50 Hybrid.

Powertrain choice: Gas, turbocharged gas, or hybrid.

Headlights: Good or Acceptable, depending on trim.

The CX-50 turns the decision toward powertrain as much as vehicle size. You have naturally aspirated gas, turbocharged gas, and hybrid choices under the same award-winning model family, which gives you three different ways to shape the driving and ownership experience.

For a high-mileage commute, the CX-50 Hybrid's fuel-economy advantage means fewer fuel stops without adding a charging routine. If stronger acceleration matters more, we'll put a turbocharged CX-50 on the drive as well. Our 2026 CX-50 trim comparison breaks down the equipment within those choices, while our Mazda hybrid and PHEV guide explains how the no-plug Hybrid differs from Mazda's plug-in SUVs.

Award coverage: CX-70 and CX-70 PHEV earn separate awards.

Seating: Two rows with five seats.

Headlights: CX-70: Good or Acceptable by trim. PHEV: Acceptable.

Start with the seating question on the CX-70. If five seats cover your household but you want to move beyond Mazda's smaller SUVs, its larger two-row format keeps the emphasis on passenger room and the cargo area behind the second row.

Once the size is right, choose the powertrain around your routine. The inline-six keeps refueling conventional. The CX-70 PHEV adds the ability to plug in, so access to charging and the way you use the vehicle from day to day become part of the decision. Our Mazda hybrid and PHEV comparison puts that choice in context alongside the CX-50 Hybrid and CX-90 PHEV.

Award coverage: CX-90 and CX-90 PHEV earn separate awards.

Seating: Three rows; passenger capacity depends on configuration.

Headlights: Good or Acceptable, depending on trim.

With the CX-90, the third row is the reason to move here. It gives you another row when kids, relatives, carpools, or changing passenger plans regularly push a five-seat SUV past what works comfortably.

Use that third row before you buy it. Have the people who will sit there climb in, move through the second row, and check what remains in the cargo area with all three rows in use. We'll also walk through the seating configurations so you're comparing the layout you'll actually own. If the PHEV is part of the decision, our Mazda hybrid SUV guide explains how adding regular charging changes the ownership routine.