Ranking
Safest 2026 compact SUVs by NHTSA recall record
Highest Safety Signal among 79 compact SUV model-years, ties broken by fewest owner complaints.
| # | Vehicle | Safety | Recalls | Complaints | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2026 Kia EV6 | A | 0 | 0 | 100 / 100 |
| 2 | 2026 Porsche Macan | A | 0 | 0 | 100 / 100 |
| 3 | 2026 Nissan Ariya | A | 0 | 0 | 100 / 100 |
| 4 | 2026 Alfa Romeo Stelvio | A | 0 | 0 | 100 / 100 |
| 5 | 2026 Hyundai Nexo | A | 0 | 0 | 100 / 100 |
| 6 | 2026 Jeep Recon | A | 0 | 0 | 100 / 100 |
| 7 | 2026 Maserati Grecale | A | 0 | 0 | 100 / 100 |
| 8 | 2026 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross | A | 0 | 0 | 100 / 100 |
| 9 | 2026 Volvo EC40 | A | 0 | 0 | 100 / 100 |
| 10 | 2026 Volvo XC40 | A | 0 | 1 | 100 / 100 |
| 11 | 2026 Acura RDX | A | 0 | 1 | 100 / 100 |
| 12 | 2026 Nissan Murano | A | 0 | 1 | 100 / 100 |
| 13 | 2026 Audi SQ5 | A | 0 | 1 | 100 / 100 |
| 14 | 2026 Cadillac XT5 | A | 0 | 1 | 100 / 100 |
| 15 | 2026 Kia Niro | A | 0 | 2 | 100 / 100 |
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.