Tesla Cybertruck Earns Top Safety Rating—After Everyone Said It Couldn’t
Top Safety Pick+, Finally
When the TeslaCybertruck was first introduced, most of the attention went to its sharp, angular design because who wouldn’t? It’s not every day we humans see something like that, and that’s part of the truck’s apparent appeal. The styling drew plenty of jokes and memes, but the bigger (and more important) question was about safety. Could a truck with so many hard edges protect both its passengers and the people around it?
Well, that has changed recently. The Cybertruck just earned the Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the group’s highest rating. That means it performed well in both crash tests and crash prevention. Tesla made sure everyone noticed the achievement in a very cheeky way.
Cybertruck earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ pic.twitter.com/xJaKnoUBFE
— Cybertruck (@cybertruck) December 16, 2025
A Victory Lap on Social Media
To highlight the result, Tesla posted a video on X featuring Matt Farah, who had previously questioned whether a stainless-steel truck could comply with current safety standards. The video put past doubts next to the new certification.
Behind the announcement is a real achievement, though the IIHS award was not automatic. Tesla had to make specific changes to the front underbody and footwell to improve protection in passenger-side small overlap front crashes. These updates helped the Cybertruck meet the tougher standards now required for the Top Safety Pick+ rating, albeit only for units built after April 2025.
But That’s Not the Point
Much of Farah’s criticism focused on pedestrian safety and the truck’s exterior design. To be fair, the Cybertruck received a Good rating for pedestrian front crash protection – primarily because its driver aids are effective at preventing crashes – but its hard edges remain a major concern. That is also why the Cybertruck will not be sold in Europe. European rules are stricter about these things.
Speaking to Top Gear, Tesla vice president of vehicle engineering Lars Moravy summed it up: European rules require a 3.2mm (0.13-inch) rounding on protruding parts, something that’s not feasible with a 1.4mm (0.06-inch) stainless steel plate. In other words, the Cybertruck can ace US crash tests, but it’s not allowed elsewhere – a fact that even the US military couldn’t sidestep on.
The Cybertruck is now officially safer than many expected for its occupants, and Tesla has earned recognition from both the IIHS and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Still, questions about how its design affects people outside the vehicle are not going away.
