If you think no one could walk away from this gnarly crash, think again. You can, if you’re in a 2020 Mazda CX-30. Mazda’s next-generation sub-compact crossover was just awarded with a 2020 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This adds yet another safety-related accolade for the CX-30 after it scored a near-perfect adult protection score at the Euro NCAP.

To qualify for the 2020 Top Safety Pick award, the CX-30 earned good ratings in all six IIHS crashworthiness evaluations, including the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests. It also needed advanced or superior ratings for both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, as well as an acceptable or good headlight rating.

Mazda’s i-Activsense is an umbrella term covering a series of advanced safety technologies which make use of detection devices such as milliwave radars and cameras. They include active safety technologies that support safer driving by helping the driver to recognize potential hazards, and pre-crash safety technologies which help to avert collisions or reduce their severity in situations where they cannot be avoided.


Mazda’s i-Activsense advanced safety technologies include Advanced Smart City Brake Support with Pedestrian Detection, Smart Brake Support with Collision Warning, Smart Brake Support, Mazda Radar Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning System with Lane-Keep Assist, Driver Attention Alert, High Beam Control, Adaptive Front-Lighting System, and Traffic Sign Recognition.

These features as standard on the Philippine-spec CX-30 AWD Sport and AWD Signature.

The CX-30 missed out on the organization’s highest accolade, the Top Safety Pick+ due to its headlights. Oddly enough, the IIHS gave the curve-adaptive headlights on the CX-30—the Adaptive LED Headlights (ALH) a “poor” rating due to its excessive glare.

Regardless, it joins the CX-9 as a Top Safety Pick. Meanwhile, 2020 Mazda3, Mazda6, and even selected models of the CX-3, and CX-5 were awarded with a Top Safety Pick+ rating earlier in the year. The IIHS noted Mazda as a standout, earning more Top Safety Pick+ awards than any other automaker this year.