Is Your Family Safer in a Minivan or an SUV? This Test Says the Latter

For generations, minivans have been seen as the quintessential family vehicle. But your family might be safer in an SUV, according to recent crash testing that was conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The Arlington, Va.-based group, which represents the insurance industry, said on Tuesday, March 24, that there were no minivans, minicars or small pickup winners among its 2026 Top Safety Pick awards. The news came as the group said that SUVs make up 35 of the 45 winners for the group’s Top Safety Pick+ designation this year, and 12 of its 18 Top Safety Pick winners.

IIHS President David Harkey said in a statement that the lack of award-winning minivans is particularly concerning, as the vehicles have historically been viewed as family cars.

“It’s disappointing that minivans continue to struggle to provide the best available protection for passengers in the back, considering that these are supposed to be family vehicles,” Harkey said. “Based on these results, parents may want to consider some of the more affordable sedans and SUVs that earn awards.”

Why Are Minivans Struggling on IIHS Safety Tests?

IIHS said minivans, minicars and small pickups are struggling with backseat performance in its moderate overlap test, which is designed to replicate the impact of a crash between two vehicles traveling in opposite directions at close to 40 mph each.

IIHS said only two large pickups did well enough to qualify for its Top Safety Pick award: the Tesla Cybertruck and Toyota Tundra crew cab.

Rosemary Shahan, president of the Sacramento, California-based Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety group, said it is “disappointing about minivans not performing well enough to earn IIHS’s top safety ratings.” Shahan said parents would be wise to consider looking at other types of cars if they are concerned about the safety of the minivan segment.

“In light of those tests, it would make sense for parents to consider other vehicles that provide superior protection for passengers riding in the back seat,” Shahan said.

Janette Fennell, founder and president of Kids and Car Safety, which advocates for policies to boost children’s safety vehicles, said an interview with USA TODAY that she knows of people who have opted for SUVs over minivans because of safety test results like the ones found by IIHS.

“An associate of mine was going to buy a car and it came down to safety, but when they looked at the side test results, the minivan did terrible, so they bought the SUV,” she said.

Fennell added that many older minivans had lower hoods which she and others believed helped to boost drivers’ visibility, but she said a lot of the newest minivans “look like SUVs.”

Fennell said her group does not do car recommendations, but she said “we say people need to take a very serious look at what their specific needs are and how they are going to use the vehicle.”