THE TESLA CYBERTRUCK PROVED ITS CRASHWORTHINESS WITH THE IIHS
When was the last time you heard some good news about the Tesla Cybertruck? Last we checked, the electric automaker was bumping the price up by $15,000 in the United States. The brand sold only around 40,000 units last year and has been the subject of several embarrassing recalls. For example, earlier this year, owners received a notice that they had to bring the truck back into the shop to have the stainless steel panels glued in place.
Through all the brand's ups and downs, Tesla has managed to stay on top of the EV game here in the US, thanks in large part to the popularity of the Model Y and the Model 3. However, the Cybertruck has continued to be a disappointment for the brand, and good news for the pickup is like water in the desert. So we're sure that Cybertruck owners would be happy to learn that they're actually driving one of the safest EVs on the market, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The IIHS Finally Crash-Tested The Tesla Cybertruck
The Cybertruck's IIHS and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash test ratings have been low priority for a number of reasons. For one, the truck's low sales numbers make it less important to test than more mainstream vehicles such as the Toyota Camry and the Chevrolet Silverado. Additionally, Tesla hasn't exactly been ringing these organizations' phones off their respective hooks, demanding a rating. So the crash-testers and the crash-testees were in agreement that this wasn't at the top of anyone's list.
There's been speculation that Tesla didn't want the Cybertruck tested because poor ratings would be just another bad headline for the vehicle. However, NHTSA ultimately awarded the truck a five-star overall rating, with five stars in both front and side impact, and four stars for rollover, where it demonstrated a slightly lower chance of tipping than the Ford F-150 Lightning.
The IIHS And The NHTSA Were Both Impressed
Now that we have the IIHS ratings to review, it's the same story with the non-profit. The Cybertruck is a tank.
A few notes on these ratings.
- The Cybertruck scored a Good rating in every area of the crash test except for rear passenger chest protection, where it scored an Acceptable rating
- Every trim level received a Poor rating for headlights
- The Cybertruck avoided impact in every single pedestrian collision avoidance test
- Front seatbelt warning chimes were noted for being too short, while rear seatbelt chimes were too slow to engage
- The IIHS' testers found the child seat safety anchors difficult to locate and access
At a glance, you're only seeing two Good ratings across five different tests, but note that those Good ratings are for, arguably, the two most important safety aspects in any modern vehicle. The Cybertruck holds up to impacts, and it's good at avoiding collisions with pedestrians.
EVs Tend To Be Pretty Good At Absorbing Damage
The Cybertruck fared better than its sibling, the Model 3, which scored an Average rating for moderate overlap front, and far better than the competing Ford F-150 Lightning, which earned a Poor rating in the crash test. The latest round of scores highlights some of the issues still facing EV automakers.
Out of seven EVs tested, the Cybertruck, Volkswagen ID.Buzz, BMW i4, and Chevy Blazer EV all earned Good ratings in the moderate overlap front crash test. The Cybertruck benefitted from some tweaks to the front underbody structure in April 2025, meaning that the IIHS rating only applies to the most recently built examples.
Aside from the Lightning and the Model 3, the Nissan Ariya also fell short in the crash test department, earning Good ratings for small overlap front and side impact tests, and Marginal for moderate overlap front.
None of the seven EVs tested earned a Top Safety Pick or a Top Safety Pick+. Only the Ariya and the Blazer EV have actually gone through the full gauntlet of tests required to score the IIHS' top honors. Still, all seven vehicles would fail to qualify because not a single one of them scored a Good rating for their headlights.
Crash Avoidance Is Key In EV Safety
The IIHS has noted the heavier weight of electric vehicles as a major hurdle to overcome in keeping our highways safe. A Ford F-150 can weigh as little as two tons, depending on your configuration, while an F-150 Lightning starts at a bare minimum of 6,000 pounds, thanks to the lightest battery pack weighing nearly a ton. Extra weight might make your car safer, but it creates more danger for everyone else on the road.
There's not much that can be done about the weight of these battery packs at the moment, and that means that crash avoidance is more important than ever. Here's how these seven EVs delivered on that front.
All seven vehicles were tested for pedestrian collision avoidance, and five of them, including both Teslas, scored a rating of Good. Of the models that were tested for vehicle-to-vehicle collision avoidance, both the Model 3 and the Blazer EV passed with flying colors.
For the record, the Rivian R1T is currently the only electric pickup to have received a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS. It scored Good in every category, except for an Acceptable rating for the headlights and moderate overlap front test. The results suggest that, for some reason, headlights have been a major hangup for EVs across the board.
Exactly How Safe Are Teslas?
Considering the frequent news of recalls and malfunctions, one might assume that Teslas are inherently unsafe to drive. A quick look at the safety ratings for these EVs paints a different story.
Note that the 2021 Model S's ratings are far out of date. The front crash prevention rating was very different four years ago, and the S never went through extensive crash testing. In addition, the Model Y holds a Top Safety Pick+ award for 2025.
We can't excuse every complaint against Tesla. The stories of Teslas catching fire are definitely scary, and autopilot allegedly isn't ready for prime time. However, these cars hold up well in impacts, and they're good at avoiding collisions, based on the IIHS tests. We're not telling you that Teslas don't have their share of issues, but we're suggesting that crashworthiness isn't one of them.
2025-10-03T08:54:48Z