Following its recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ award for 2025 models built after April, the Tesla Cybertruck overcame earlier safety hurdles. Updates addressed pedestrian risks flagged by NHTSA and headlight issues identified by IIHS, securing the accolade after a key recall.
The Cybertruck's path to IIHS recognition included addressing deficiencies from prior evaluations. In February 2025, NHTSA crash tests rated occupant protection satisfactory but flagged inadequate pedestrian safety.
In September 2025, IIHS tests showed strong crash performance but criticized the headlights for excessive brightness, potentially blinding oncoming drivers.
Tesla issued a recall in October 2025, adjusting headlight output to meet regulations. IIHS re-tested post-recall, awarding a 'Good' rating for illumination, which helped qualify the Cybertruck for the Top Safety Pick+ list announced December 16.
The institute's sole remaining note was the seatbelt reminder chime's duration. An archived IIHS page from October confirms the headlight improvements.
This builds on structural enhancements after April 2025 and complements NHTSA's overall five-star rating, marking a key milestone in the Cybertruck's safety validation amid competition from trucks like the Ford F-150.
