Three midsize luxury SUVs earn highest award with solid back seat protection

The 2025 BMW X5, 2024 Lexus NX and 2024 Volvo XC90, all midsize luxury SUVs, qualify for the Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety thanks to solid performance in the updated moderate overlap front test.

To earn the 2024 Top Safety Pick+ award, vehicles need a good or acceptable rating in that evaluation, which is not required for the lower-tier Top Safety Pick award. All three vehicles had been recognized as Top Safety Pick winners prior to undergoing the updated moderate overlap test.

Introduced in 2022, the new version of the moderate overlap test emphasizes rear-seat safety with an additional dummy positioned in the second row behind the driver.

The X5 and XC90 earn good ratings in the test, while the NX is rated acceptable. All three SUVs provide excellent protection for the driver but vary somewhat in terms of back seat passenger protection.

In the test of the X5, measurements taken from the rear dummy showed no elevated injury risk, and the rear restraints controlled the motion of the dummy relatively well during the crash, though the dummy’s head came closer than desired to the front seatback.

In the test of the XC90, rear dummy measurements showed slightly elevated risk of injuries to the chest and to the head or neck.

The acceptable-rated NX performed well in terms of injury metrics. However, the rear passenger dummy’s lap belt moved from the ideal position on the pelvis onto the abdomen, which increases the risk of abdominal injuries.

Beyond the moderate overlap test, IIHS award winners must earn good ratings in the small overlap front and updated side tests and an acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention evaluation. They also must come with acceptable- or good-rated headlights across all trim levels.

The X5 has a standard front crash prevention system that earns a good rating in the Institute’s pedestrian evaluation and acceptable headlights across all trims.

The XC90 also comes with standard acceptable-rated headlights. Its standard front crash prevention system earns an acceptable rating for pedestrian front crash prevention.

The NX comes with a standard front crash prevention system that earns a good rating in the pedestrian test. Three different variations of good-rated headlights are available.