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Only One Small SUV Earned a Good Rating in IIHS’s Updated Test—Among the First 10 Evaluated

The Subaru Forester was the only Good-rated vehicle among the first 10 small SUVs in IIHS’s updated vehicle-to-vehicle crash-prevention test, reported in April 2024.
Entry017 Date Time2 min MechanicCarCody Team
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In the first 10 small SUVs evaluated under IIHS’s updated vehicle-to-vehicle front crash-prevention test, the Subaru Forester was the only one to earn a Good rating. That April 2024 result describes that initial group—not every small SUV or the current ratings. IIHS’s release reported two Acceptable, three Marginal and four Poor ratings among the other nine.

What did IIHS find in the first 10 small SUVs?

In its release dated April 25, 2024, IIHS said the Subaru Forester was the only small SUV in the first 10 evaluated to earn Good in the updated vehicle-to-vehicle front crash-prevention test. The remaining nine were rated as follows:

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  • Two Acceptable
  • Three Marginal
  • Four Poor

Those are counts for the initial group IIHS reported, not a survey of every small SUV on sale. The headline result is therefore best read with its scope attached: one Good rating among the first 10 small SUVs evaluated in that updated test.

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What does the vehicle-to-vehicle test measure?

IIHS evaluates crash-avoidance systems by having a test vehicle approach targets from behind: a passenger car, a motorcycle and an actual semitrailer. The trials assess forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, with targets positioned in different ways and tests conducted at different speeds. IIHS explains its ratings and test programs here.

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This is a test of how well those systems respond under specified conditions. It is not a structural crashworthiness test, and a Good result does not guarantee that a collision will be avoided in everyday driving.

Does the Forester still have the only Good rating?

No. The April 2024 finding was limited to the first 10 small SUVs in the initial reported group. IIHS’s class ratings accessed October 4, 2026, show Good vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0 results for the 2026 Subaru Forester and other listed small SUVs. Check IIHS’s current small-SUV ratings for the latest model-year entries.

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The 2025 Subaru Forester rating page also lists a Good vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0 rating for 2025 models. Its overall 2025 award is limited to non-Wilderness trims; that award restriction should not be assumed to limit a separate test rating unless the rating page says so.

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How to compare IIHS results accurately

Before treating two ratings as a head-to-head comparison, confirm they refer to the same test category and identify the model year and any stated trim or build applicability. A vehicle’s result in one category does not amount to a complete safety ranking.

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Keep crash-prevention results separate from crashworthiness ratings. IIHS advises comparing frontal crashworthiness results, including small-overlap and moderate-overlap tests, among vehicles of similar weight. See IIHS’s guidance on how its tests and ratings work.

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