Cybertruck Dominates Crash Tests Until the Power Fades | Carscoops

      IIHS testing indicates that the Tesla Cybertruck provides excellent occupant protection, although it has deficiencies in headlights and seat-belt alerts.

      The Cybertruck received a ‘Good’ rating from IIHS after Tesla reinforced its underbody structure in April.

      Alongside the Cybertruck, six electric models were included in the latest IIHS moderate overlap front crash test.

      The BMW i4, Chevy Blazer EV, and VW ID.Buzz all earned strong 'Good' ratings in crash tests.

      Safety has always been a key aspect of Tesla’s brand identity, and the company frequently defends this reputation. While issues surrounding Autopilot and Full Self-Driving may continue to raise questions, the protection of occupants in these electric vehicles appears well-established.

      Despite concerns about the Cybertruck's ability to maintain Tesla’s strong crash-test ratings, it performed exceptionally well in IIHS testing. However, there is still room for improvement in headlight performance and seat belt alerts.

      Solid Crash-Test Results

      Overall, the IIHS awarded the Cybertruck a ‘Good’ rating in the updated moderate overlap front test, which applies to models manufactured after April 2025, when Tesla made updates to the front underbody structure. The driver dummy indicated a low risk of head, chest, and leg injuries, while the rear passenger faced only a moderate risk of chest injury. These outcomes align with the five-star crash-test rating from the NHTSA.

      The Cybertruck also excelled in collision avoidance tests, successfully avoiding all collisions at speeds of 12 and 25 mph during both day and night. It performed particularly well in nighttime scenarios at speeds of 25 mph and 37 mph, where potential obstacles were moving parallel to the Cybertruck. These results are impressive given previous concerns about the vehicle's interactions with pedestrians.

      Headlight Limitations

      The primary factor preventing the Cybertruck from achieving a Top Safety Pick award is its headlights. The IIHS states that “systems that create excessive glare on certain road sections do not receive full credit for visibility assessments in those cases.”

      Indeed, the Cybertruck’s lights produced glare and fell short in other areas as well, with inadequate illumination on the left side of the road and when making left turns, resulting in gaps in coverage. Conversely, the right side met nearly all benchmarks comfortably, leading to an inconsistent overall performance.

      That said, this is yet another positive indication for electric vehicles in terms of safety. The Rivian R1T scored even better than the Cybertruck and was awarded an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ in 2024. Last year, it still held the Top Safety Pick designation as standards became more stringent. The only internal combustion engine truck to achieve a similar score is the Toyota Tundra. If the Cybertruck seeks to receive an award, it will need to enhance its headlight performance, and the IIHS will need to evaluate it through small overlap and side crash tests.

      Testing of Six Additional EVs

      The Cybertruck was part of a group of electric models undergoing IIHS safety tests. Six other vehicles participated in the moderate overlap front crash test, most achieving favorable results. The BMW i4, Chevrolet Blazer EV, and Volkswagen ID.Buzz all garnered good ratings, whereas the Tesla Model 3 received an ‘acceptable’ rating due to a higher risk of chest injuries for rear passengers.

      The F-150 Lightning and Ariya did not perform as well; the Ford truck received a poor score after rear dummy readings indicated risks of chest, head, and neck injuries, while the Nissan EV earned a marginal rating due to elevated chest injury risk in the back seat.

      In addition to crash protection, pedestrian crash prevention and headlight performance significantly impacted the ratings. The i4, F-150 Lightning, and Model 3 all achieved good ratings for pedestrian avoidance, while the ID.Buzz was rated acceptable and the Blazer had the same rating from prior testing.

      Headlights Remain the Weak Point

      Headlight performance, however, emerged as a common weakness. Five of the seven electric models received acceptable ratings, with the i4 and Cybertruck being marked down further due to glare issues and inadequate high-beam illumination. As a result of these problems and the stricter award eligibility criteria, none of the seven electric vehicles tested were able to qualify for a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ this time.