Subaru Earns 2024 IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards for Solterra and WRX

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) updates its crash-test criteria regularly to keep up with the rapidly evolving automotive industry. For the 2024 calendar year, the IIHS implemented stricter requirements for side-impact safety, moderate front overlap testing, and pedestrian crash prevention. The changes made it more difficult for vehicles to earn Top Safety Pick (TSP) designations in 2024, but that’s exactly what the Subaru Solterra and WRX have done.

The Solterra earned a Top Safety Pick+ award, while the sporty WRX grabbed a Top Safety Pick rating. Those awards add to the existing TSP-recognized models, including the 2024 Ascent with a TSP+ and a TSP for the Impreza and Outback. Subaru noted that both the WRX and Solterra achieved the IIHS’ top score of Superior for front pedestrian crash prevention.

Subaru equips a long list of standard safety equipment for both models, including blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, lane keep assist, lane departure warnings, pedestrian detection, safe exit warnings, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, intersection turning assistance, emergency steering assist, and a rearview camera. Available tech includes a parking assistance system, a surround-view camera, and more.

The IIHS’ new testing regimen employs higher impact forces for the side-impact portion to simulate the heavier weights of today’s SUVs, trucks, and EVs. The new small overlap front test assesses the safety of passengers in the second row and evaluates how well the vehicles’ seatbelts restrain them in an accident. The organization said that advancements in airbag and crash prevention technologies have improved front-seat safety, but people in the back seats are more likely to be injured. An Acceptable or Good score is required for a model to earn a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick + award.

It’s important to note that adding two new models to the TSP award list in 2024 is a significant achievement. The IIHS’ updated testing rules knocked many vehicles out of contention for an award, making the fact that Subaru’s awards are growing even more impressive. It’s also an indication that the automaker is dedicated to building the safest vehicles possible.

If you’re interested in the new WRX or any other Subaru model, Twin Falls Subaru should be your first call. We’d love to show you around, cover features and capabilities, and assist with a test drive.