Building on its IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, the Tesla Cybertruck outperforms the Ford F-150 and Rivian R1T in key crash tests, including rear passenger protection, with Tesla confirming no safety differences in pre-April builds.
The Tesla Cybertruck's IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating, first announced earlier this week, includes standout results across crashworthiness tests. It earned 'Good' ratings in all major categories—small overlap front, updated moderate overlap front (emphasizing rear passenger safety), and side impacts—marking the first electric pickup to achieve this honor.
Notably, the Cybertruck's 'Good' in the updated moderate overlap front test contrasts with the Ford F-150's 'Poor' (high rear occupant injury risk), Rivian R1T's 'Acceptable,' and Toyota Tundra's 'Acceptable' in pedestrian crash prevention (where Cybertruck scored 'Good'). Front crash prevention for pedestrians also rated 'Good,' aided by advanced systems despite the truck's angular design. Headlights achieved 'Good' after a retroactive over-the-air update addressing glare.
Minor areas for improvement include a 'Marginal' rear seatbelt reminder rating and 'Average' child-seat LATCH ease of use, both addressable via software. The award covers builds after April 2025 due to a front casting tweak for manufacturing; Cybertruck lead engineer Wes Morrill stated on X: "We made a minor change on the casting for manufacturability in April. Our internal testing shows no difference in crash result but IIHS only officially tested the latest version."
These details reinforce the Cybertruck's five-star NHTSA rating and position it as the top-rated large pickup by IIHS.
