Hot on the heels of being named the best SUV brand by U.S. News and World Report, three additional Mazda vehicles have earned the highest safety award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The 2024 Mazda3 sedan, Mazda3 hatchback and Mazda CX-30 SUV are joining the new Mazda CX-90 SUV as recipients of an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Award.
"Mazda is proud to add to our list of top award winners," said Tom Donnelly, President and CEO of Mazda North America Operations. "We do so out of our constant pursuit of advanced safety, always aiming to provide our customers with the highest level of support and protection."
All three models improve their award status from the 2023 model year when they fell shy of the top award, and instead earned the IIHS's lower-tier TOP SAFETY PICK award. Mazda credits 2024 model year system enhancements for the top, superior ratings in IIHS's pedestrian crash avoidance ratings, including new nighttime tests.
To qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK+ in 2023, a vehicle must earn a good rating in the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, original moderate overlap front and updated side tests. Acceptable or good headlights must be standard across all trims, and a front crash prevention system that earns advanced or superior ratings in both the daytime and nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations must be available.
For the lower-tier TOP SAFETY PICK award, an acceptable rating in the updated side test is enough, and only an advanced or superior rating in the daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian test is necessary. (The 2024 Mazda CX-5 and CX-50 are 2023 TOP SAFETY PICK award winners. )
The IIHS says the Mazda 3 sedan and hatchback both meet the requirements for the higher-tier award with all standard equipment. The standard front crash prevention system earns superior ratings in both the daytime and nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations. Two separate headlight variations are offered with different trims, one rated good and the other rated acceptable.
The CX-30 also qualifies for the “plus” with standard equipment. All models come with a front crash prevention system that earns superior ratings in the daytime and nighttime tests, and the two available headlight variations both earn good ratings.
Mazda says its IIHS awards were won with safety features that are offered as standard equipment on all models.
Photo Credit: Mazda
