Finding a little one that is also safe can seem like an impossible feat. However, thanks to updated IIHS testing, there are a small number of options left in the pool. Compared to the 101 winning models in 2022, just 28 vehicles qualified in 2023. Of those, just four compacts made the cut from , Subaru and Lexus. These are small SUVs with IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus awards, the highest accolade offered this year.
The Honda CR-V is a small SUV with an IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus award
When listing some of the safest compact SUVs, the 2023 Honda CR-V topped the list. While the 2023 CR-V just came off a recent redesign, it hasn’t changed the winning formula that Honda is known for. It offers a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine with CVT, which is enough to power the small SUV around town.
(IIHS) Top Safety Pick Plus Award? Honda included many driver assistance features as standard. These include forward collision warning, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, and rear cross traffic warning.
The 2023 CR-V also has critical systems like lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking. To achieve the Top Safety Pick Plus award, the Honda SUV also performed well in preventing vehicle-to-pedestrian collisions.
Honda’s HR-V was another small SUV with an IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus award
Another recently updated small SUV, the 2023 Honda HR-V, earned a Plus award from the IIHS for this year. Consumer Reports says it’s a nicer, more refined SUV in 2023. It’s roomier inside than it looks and comes with easy-to-use controls. Checks are one of the most complained about features in Consumer Reports’ annual automated surveys, so this feature is more important than it sounds.
Honda included the same long list of standard safety features. Some of these include forward collision warning, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, and automatic emergency braking. Lane keeping assist and lane centering assist have also been included.
With all the standard equipment, the IIHS gave the 2023 Honda HR-V a Top Safety Pick Plus award. It scored highly in all front, side and rear crash tests and a “top” score in the pedestrians with automatic emergency braking.
The Lexus UX and Subaru Solterra also earned IIHS TSP+ awards
Even though the 2023 Lexus UX is a small luxury SUV, it still earned top marks from the IIHS. For this year, the UX 250h is the only option and is a hybrid powertrain. The exterior looks more like an elevated sedan than a traditional SUV, but it has enough standard safety features to ease any style qualms. For 2023, the UX also received a five-star safety rating from the .
The 2023 Subaru Solterra is the brand’s first all-electric vehicle and comes with standard all-wheel drive. It’s pleasant and comfortable enough, but the 222-mile range has been a drawback for some. The Top Safety Pick Plus award applies only to Solterra SUVs built after October 2022.
While there are only four small SUVs with the IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus award this year, that’s still good for future vehicles. Automakers will work to make cars, trucks and SUVs safer in 2024.
