In brief
| Models honoured in 2026 | 9: Mazda3, Mazda3 Sport, CX-30, CX-50, CX-5, CX-70, CX-70 PHEV, CX-90, CX-90 PHEV |
|---|---|
| Rank among manufacturers | 1st, for a 3rd consecutive year |
| Latest model added | Redesigned 2026 CX-5, announced on July 9, 2026 |
| Total TOP SAFETY PICK awards since 2008 | 100, including 74 at the Plus level |
| Organization | Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), United States |
Want to see one of these models up close? The Beaucage network represents Mazda in Saint-Hyacinthe. See the Mazda selection in the network
The nine Mazda models honoured
The IIHS announced its 2026 awards in waves, from March to July. The Mazda3, the Mazda3 Sport (the hatchback version), the CX-30, the CX-50, the CX-70, the CX-70 PHEV, the CX-90 and the CX-90 PHEV received their TOP SAFETY PICK+ earlier in the year. It is the CX-5, completely redesigned for 2026 and announced on July 9, that brings this total to nine, and in passing it becomes the brand’s 100th TOP SAFETY PICK award.
- 2026 Mazda3 (sedan)
- 2026 Mazda3 Sport (hatchback)
- 2026 CX-30
- 2026 CX-50
- 2026 CX-5
- 2026 CX-70 (gas)
- 2026 CX-70 PHEV (plug-in hybrid)
- 2026 CX-90 (gas)
- 2026 CX-90 PHEV (plug-in hybrid)
Notice what is missing: no body style is left out. A compact sedan, two crossovers (subcompact and compact), two sizes of family SUV, each in gas and plug-in hybrid versions: the award covers practically the whole Mazda lineup sold in Canada, not a single isolated star model.
What the TOP SAFETY PICK+ really requires
The TOP SAFETY PICK+ is the higher level of the IIHS program, and the “+” is not decorative. To earn it, every version sold of a model must pass, without exception:
- A good rating in the frontal crash tests, in the moderate overlap and small overlap tests (the most demanding one, which reproduces an impact against a pole or an oncoming vehicle);
- A good rating in the side crash test;
- Headlights rated at least acceptable on every version, not only the best-equipped one;
- Standard automatic emergency braking, with a good rating in the pedestrian test and an acceptable or good rating in the vehicle-to-vehicle test.
It is this last requirement (the rating on a standard system, not an option, and on every version in the catalogue) that makes the difference between an award earned by a single top-of-the-range version and an award that really covers what a customer buys in the showroom.
A third year in a row at the top
Nine TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards in a single year is already the top of the 2026 ranking. But what really sets Mazda apart is consistency: it is the third consecutive year that the brand finishes first in the program, at a time when the IIHS tightens its criteria from one year to the next rather than keeping them as they are.
A single award can come about by a quirk of the calendar: one well-rated model in a good year. Three years in a row in first place, while the requirements go up, looks more like a deliberate engineering choice than a stroke of luck.
It is not the first time we have talked about it here: in March 2025, Mazda was already leading the rankingFR with eight TOP SAFETY PICK+ models, a total that 2026 exceeds by one model. Two years in a row at the top of the ranking before this one is not a press-release accident; it is a trend that repeats.
The 100-award milestone since 2008
The IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK program has existed since 2008. The 2026 CX-5’s award, announced in July, brings Mazda’s cumulative total to 100 TOP SAFETY PICK awards, including 74 in the higher Plus category, introduced later to distinguish the best of the class already rated “TOP SAFETY PICK”.
This figure covers 18 years of different models, redesigned generations and criteria tightened over time. It is a history, not a snapshot: it says the brand has held this level through several complete redesigns, not only on the current generation.
What this changes for a buyer in Quebec
The IIHS is an American organization: its tests do not officially cover the Canadian market. In practice, the Mazdas sold here are, for the most part, the same vehicles (same structures, same standard safety systems) as the ones evaluated in the United States. That is why Canadian media and dealers relay these results: they apply, in practice, to the versions you find in a showroom in Quebec.
In concrete terms, it means that a buyer who chooses a Mazda3 Sport, a CX-30, a CX-50, a CX-5, a CX-70 or a CX-90, in just about any version, since the requirement covers the whole lineup, does not have to shop for a separate “safety” version: automatic braking and the good structural ratings are part of the standard equipment, not of an options package.
Curious to compare the four Mazda SUVs? We have already detailed the seating, the cargo space and the difference between a mild hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. Read the CX-30, CX-5, CX-70 and CX-90 comparison
Frequently asked questions
Who awards the TOP SAFETY PICK+?
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an American research organization funded by insurers and independent of the manufacturers. It publishes its results every year on iihs.org.
What is the difference between TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+?
The TOP SAFETY PICK+ is the higher level: in addition to the good crash ratings required for the basic TOP SAFETY PICK, it adds stricter requirements on headlights (acceptable or good on every version) and on automatic emergency braking, with an additional vehicle-to-vehicle test.
Do these results apply to Mazdas sold in Canada?
The IIHS tests vehicles from the American market. The Mazdas sold in Quebec generally share the same structure and the same standard safety equipment as the versions tested, which explains why these awards are widely picked up by the Canadian press and dealers. For exact confirmation version by version, a dealership in the network can specify the equipment of the vehicle you are interested in.
Did EVERY Mazda receive the award?
No: the award covers nine specific models (Mazda3, Mazda3 Sport, CX-30, CX-50, CX-5, CX-70, CX-70 PHEV, CX-90, CX-90 PHEV). It is nonetheless the largest part of the Mazda lineup currently sold in Canada.
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