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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested several crossovers under its updated moderate overlap front crash test. The Nissan Kicks earned a Good rating after changes to rear seat belts, while the Audi Q3 and Chevrolet Trailblazer received Poor ratings; the Toyota RAV4 scored Acceptable in hybrid form and Marginal as a plug-in hybrid. Only the Kicks qualified for a 2026 Top Safety Pick among the vehicles tested.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has published results from its updated moderate overlap front crash test for several crossovers, and the Nissan Kicks was the only model in the group to earn a Good rating in that test. Nissan revised the Kicks’ rear seat belts after an earlier Poor result, helping the crossover qualify for a 2026 Top Safety Pick; the Audi Q3, Chevrolet Trailblazer and Toyota RAV4 missed the award.
The IIHS tested the Audi Q3, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Nissan Kicks and Toyota RAV4, including the RAV4 hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions. The institute’s moderate overlap front test simulates a vehicle striking a barrier at 40 mph with only part of its front end making contact. The test was revised in 2022 to place greater emphasis on protecting people in the rear seats.
The Kicks received a Poor rating when the current generation was first tested. According to the IIHS results summarized by The Drive, Nissan changed the rear seat belts on vehicles built after June 2026, including applicable 2026 and 2027 models. In the retest, the updated Kicks earned a Good rating in the test and a 2026 Top Safety Pick award, one level below Top Safety Pick+.
The redesigned 2026 Audi Q3 received Poor in the moderate overlap front test, a result that also applies to 2027 models. The RAV4 earned Acceptable in its standard hybrid configuration and Marginal for plug-in hybrid versions. The Trailblazer also received Poor in this test and had low scores in other areas, including headlights and front crash-prevention technology. The Q3 and RAV4 received Good ratings in the other categories, but the moderate overlap result prevented them from earning a Top Safety Pick award.
Rear-Seat Safety Shapes Awards
The results show how a single test category can affect a vehicle’s overall safety recognition. For these models, the moderate overlap front test was the deciding barrier: a Good score is required for a Top Safety Pick award, according to the report. The award is not a guarantee of safety in every crash, but it gives shoppers a way to compare vehicles against the institute’s current testing criteria.
The Kicks result also illustrates that crash-test performance can change as manufacturers update vehicles. Nissan’s rear seat belt revisions were followed by a higher score in the retest. For consumers comparing crossovers, the findings make it useful to check the rating for the specific model year and powertrain, rather than relying on a model name or a general safety label alone.
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How the Revised Test Works
The IIHS is an insurance-industry-backed nonprofit that conducts safety testing separate from the federal government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Its tests and award requirements can change without an act of Congress, and the institute has updated its moderate overlap front test to better reflect injury risks for rear-seat occupants.
Under the revised procedure, a vehicle hits a barrier at 40 mph with partial front-end overlap. The test examines how well the vehicle protects occupants in a crash scenario that differs from a full-width frontal impact. The IIHS introduced the revised version in 2022, and the results in this group show that it has set a demanding bar for some recently redesigned crossovers.
“A Good rating in the moderate overlap front test is a requirement for a Top Safety Pick award.”
— The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, as reported by The Drive
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Details Behind the Ratings
The available report does not provide the full crash-test measurements, injury data or detailed explanations behind each rating. It also does not specify what exact rear seat belt changes Nissan made, beyond identifying them as the update associated with the Kicks retest. The findings here are based on the reported IIHS results, not a separate review of the institute’s full test documentation.
It remains unclear whether Audi, Chevrolet or Toyota will make changes in response to the scores, or when any revised vehicles might be tested. The results describe the configurations and model years covered by the reported tests; they should not be assumed to apply identically to every earlier model year or trim.
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Possible Updates From Automakers
The next development to watch is whether Audi, Chevrolet and Toyota revise the affected vehicles’ designs or equipment and submit updated models for testing. The source report does not identify any announced fixes from those manufacturers. The IIHS could publish new results if revised vehicles are tested, while shoppers can consult the institute’s ratings for the model year and powertrain they are considering.
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Key Questions
Which crossover earned a Good rating in the updated test?
The Nissan Kicks earned Good in the moderate overlap front test after Nissan changed its rear seat belts on vehicles built after June 2026.
Did the Nissan Kicks receive an IIHS award?
Yes. The updated Kicks qualified for a 2026 Top Safety Pick, one level below Top Safety Pick+.
How did the Toyota RAV4 perform?
The standard hybrid RAV4 received Acceptable in the moderate overlap front test. Plug-in hybrid versions received Marginal.
Why did the Audi Q3 miss a Top Safety Pick award?
The 2026 Q3 received Poor in the moderate overlap front test. The report says a Good rating in that category is required for a Top Safety Pick award, despite the Q3 earning Good in its other listed categories.
What does the moderate overlap front test measure?
It simulates a vehicle hitting a barrier at 40 mph with only part of the front end making contact. The IIHS revised the test in 2022 to better account for rear-occupant safety.
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