The 2026 Mazda CX-5 has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest safety award, but this particular win comes with an even bigger milestone attached. With the CX-5's new 2026 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, Mazda has now earned 100 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK awards since the program began in 2008.
Even more impressive, 74 of those 100 awards have been TOP SAFETY PICK+ honors. For drivers around Queensbury, Glens Falls, Saratoga Springs, and the surrounding Adirondack region, the latest CX-5 recognition offers another reason to take a closer look at Mazda's approach to safety. You can browse our New Mazda Inventory at DELLA Mazda, explore our current Mazda Specials, or complete a Trade Appraisal online before visiting us at 92 Quaker Road in Queensbury.
The 2026 CX-5 Had to Meet IIHS's Latest Safety Standards
IIHS doesn't keep its award requirements frozen in place. Its criteria continue to evolve as vehicle safety technology and crash testing advance, which makes Mazda reaching 100 awards particularly noteworthy. To qualify for a 2026 TOP SAFETY PICK+, vehicles need good ratings in the IIHS small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and side tests. Acceptable- or good-rated headlights must also come standard across all trim levels.
The requirements extend to crash prevention technology, too. Winners need standard front crash prevention systems that earn a good rating in the IIHS pedestrian test and an acceptable or good rating in its vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0 evaluation. Any optional front crash prevention systems must meet those requirements as well. The 2026 Mazda CX-5 met those standards and earned the highest award available from IIHS.
Mazda Didn't Reach 100 With the CX-5 Alone
The CX-5 joins an unusually long list of 2026 Mazdas carrying TOP SAFETY PICK+ recognition. Other 2026 winners include the Mazda3 Sedan, Mazda3 Hatchback, CX-30, CX-50 and CX-50 Hybrid, CX-70, CX-70 PHEV, CX-90, and CX-90 PHEV. Mazda entered 2026 leading all brands with eight TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards and has now increased that total to nine with the new CX-5.
That lineup gives shoppers quite a bit of flexibility. You might want the compact dimensions of a CX-30, the everyday versatility of the CX-5, an electrified CX-50 Hybrid or CX-70 PHEV, or the additional passenger space of a CX-90. Safety recognition isn't confined to one corner of Mazda's lineup. Browse the Mazda Digital Showroom to compare models from home, or visit our New Mazda Inventory to see what's currently available at DELLA Mazda.
Nearly Two Decades of Mazda Safety Recognition
The number 100 becomes more meaningful when you look at how Mazda got there. IIHS introduced the TOP SAFETY PICK program in 2008. Since then, Mazda has accumulated 100 TOP SAFETY PICK awards, including 74 TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards. IIHS President David Harkey specifically pointed to Mazda's consistency and its response to changing safety criteria when announcing the milestone, noting that the automaker has continued improving its vehicles as IIHS requirements have evolved.
Mazda says that work combines thoughtful engineering, human-centric design, and advanced safety technologies, with the larger goal of reaching zero fatalities in Mazda vehicles by 2040. For someone shopping for a vehicle today, the result is a Mazda lineup where safety engineering has been developed and tested across multiple generations rather than treated as a single-model achievement.
The CX-5 Still Has to Work for Everyday Life
Safety credentials are a compelling reason to consider the CX-5, but they're one part of what has made this compact SUV such an important part of Mazda's lineup. The CX-5 gives drivers the manageable footprint of a compact SUV while providing the passenger room, cargo flexibility, and all-season practicality that work well for everyday life in Upstate New York. Whether your week means commuting around Queensbury and Glens Falls, loading up for errands, or heading north for a weekend in the Adirondacks, the CX-5 is sized for the kind of driving many local owners actually do.
Shoppers working within a specific budget can browse our dedicated Vehicles Under $25,000 inventory or explore our Pre-Owned and Certified Pre-Owned Mazda Inventory.
Shop the 2026 Mazda CX-5 Your Way at DELLA Mazda
You don't have to do all of your CX-5 research at the dealership. DELLA Mazda's Shop Online tools and Mazda Digital Showroom let you explore vehicles and available features from home, while our Trade Appraisal can help you understand what your current vehicle may contribute toward your next purchase.
If you're considering a Certified Pre-Owned Mazda instead, our Why Buy Mazda Certified Pre-Owned page explains the additional inspection, warranty, and program benefits that come with Mazda CPO vehicles. And after you've found your Mazda, our Service Department is here for the maintenance that helps keep it performing properly for the miles ahead.
See the Award-Winning Mazda Lineup at DELLA Mazda
The 2026 CX-5 earning TOP SAFETY PICK+ is a meaningful achievement on its own. Becoming Mazda's 100th IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK award makes it part of a safety record stretching back nearly two decades.
Visit DELLA Mazda at 92 Quaker Road in Queensbury, NY to explore the 2026 Mazda CX-5 and the rest of our new Mazda lineup. You can browse inventory online, check our current Mazda Specials, complete a Trade Appraisal, or read our Customer Reviews before your visit. We're proud to serve Mazda drivers throughout Queensbury, Glens Falls, and the surrounding Upstate New York communities.
