Research checked 2026-10-24. Individual vehicle eligibility must be confirmed with the manufacturer or regulator.
The exact assessment
This assessment concerns Tesla Model Y in United States. The relevant year context is 2023 IIHS model-year listing, with the original testing identified as Tested 2022 Model Y Long Range for updated moderate overlap. The assessment’s stated applicability is: Base Model Y 4-door SUV rating page; individual test applicability years vary and differ from separately evaluated AWD variant.
Published test outcomes are IIHS updated moderate-overlap front: Good; 2023 listing Top Safety Pick+. These figures and labels belong to the named independent crash-testing body and its specific procedure; they are not a global standardised rating or a measured probability that an occupant will be injured.
What is notable in the results
The IIHS page contains several test histories rather than one generic crash of a 2023 Model Y. For the updated moderate-overlap evaluation it identifies a 2022 Model Y Long Range test vehicle and the range to which that test applies. Another 2023 AWD standard-range vehicle has a separately documented structure and limited applicability.
Crashworthiness, child restraint performance, protection for people outside the car and active collision avoidance are different questions. Results should be interpreted within the exact testing procedure, year and equipment configuration. Where a tested variant was used to rate others, the assessor—not a similarly named car in another country—must authorise that extension.
Using the rating while shopping
Use the full model and drivetrain/body details when comparing a used Tesla across years. Buyers should not treat a US IIHS award as a certification for a Chinese-market car or a new facelift without checking equivalent construction and IIHS applicability fields.
Important applicability qualification: Never extend AWD standard-range structural rating to Long Range/Performance. Inspect the tested variant, the applicability statement and the year of the assessment. Avoid selecting a regional trim on the assumption that an identical model name means an identical airbag layout or software calibration.
What the rating does not establish
An independent crash rating does not tell an owner whether a specific VIN has an outstanding safety recall, whether a previous collision has been properly repaired, or what assistance features are actually fitted to the car at hand. Check those separately through the correct manufacturer and regulator channels.
Ratings can change when assessment protocols become more demanding. Compare subtests within one protocol before attempting cross-market comparisons; no safety conclusion should be drawn from a lone star icon without scope and date.