Do All Cars Have Side Curtain Airbags?

No. Not all cars have side curtain airbags. In the United States, nearly all new 2025 passenger vehicles include them—often as standard equipment across all rows—to meet stringent side-impact and ejection-mitigation targets. However, many older vehicles, some base trims in certain markets, specific convertibles, and some commercial or low-cost models may lack traditional curtain airbags, sometimes using alternative head-protection systems instead.

What Side Curtain Airbags Are—and Why They Matter

Side curtain airbags are inflatable cushions concealed along a vehicle’s roof rail that deploy downward to cover side windows during a side impact or rollover. Their primary job is to protect occupants’ heads from striking intruding structures or external objects and to reduce the risk of partial or full ejection through side windows. They differ from side torso airbags (mounted in the seat or door) by focusing on head protection and typically remaining inflated longer to cover rollover scenarios.

Are Side Curtain Airbags Legally Required?

There is no global, uniform mandate that every vehicle must have side curtain airbags. In the U.S., federal rules such as FMVSS 214 (side-impact protection) and FMVSS 226 (ejection mitigation, phased in 2013–2017) set performance targets for occupant protection. Automakers commonly meet the ejection-mitigation requirement by installing side curtain airbags, though the rule does not prescribe that exact technology. In Europe and many other regions, there is likewise no explicit curtain-airbag mandate; instead, consumer-rating programs like Euro NCAP and ANCAP strongly incentivize head-protection airbags through their scoring, pushing widespread adoption among mainstream models.

How Common Are Side Curtain Airbags in 2025?

Availability depends on model year, market, body style, and trim level. The following timeline highlights how prevalence has changed over time.

• Late 1990s–early 2000s: Introduction on select models, mostly premium brands and safety leaders.
• Mid-2000s: Rapid adoption across more segments, especially in North America and Europe.
• 2013–2017 (U.S.): Ejection-mitigation rules phase in; curtains become near-standard on new passenger vehicles.
• 2018–2025: In developed markets, most new cars and SUVs include side curtain airbags, often covering all seating rows; some convertibles use alternative head-protection airbags due to packaging constraints.

Today, if you’re buying a new mainstream passenger vehicle in the U.S., it almost certainly has side curtain airbags. In emerging markets and on some entry-level trims, they may still be absent or limited to front-row coverage only.

Exceptions and Special Cases

Despite broad adoption, not every vehicle uses traditional roof-rail curtains. These are the common exceptions to know.

• Convertibles and some roadsters: Often lack roof-rail curtains for packaging reasons; many use door- or seat-mounted “head-thorax” airbags and reinforced structures to provide head protection.
• Third-row coverage: In some older three-row SUVs and minivans, curtain coverage may not extend to the third row, or it may vary by trim and model year.
• Commercial vans and cab-chassis variants: Equipment can vary widely; some base models may omit side curtains or offer them as options.
• Budget models in certain markets: To hit price targets, side curtain airbags may be optional or unavailable on entry trims.

If you routinely carry rear-seat passengers or drive a vehicle type listed above, verify whether head protection extends to all rows and both sides.

How to Tell if Your Car Has Side Curtain Airbags

Confirming your vehicle’s equipment takes only a few minutes. Use these steps to be sure.

• Check the owner’s manual: Look for “curtain,” “head,” or “side” airbag descriptions in the SRS section.
• Look for labels: Many vehicles have “SRS Curtain Airbag” markings on the A-, B-, or C-pillars or on the headliner near the roof rails.
• Decode the VIN: Manufacturer build sheets or a dealer can provide an equipment list tied to your VIN.
• Review safety ratings: NHTSA, IIHS, Euro NCAP, and other agencies often note standard and optional airbags in their test summaries.
• Inspect the window airbag seam: Subtle seam lines along the headliner above the side windows can indicate the presence of a curtain airbag.

Using more than one of these methods helps confirm not just existence but also which seating rows are covered.

What the Safety Data Says

Research by safety agencies consistently finds that head-protecting side airbags reduce the risk of serious head injury in near-side crashes and help mitigate occupant ejection in rollovers. Vehicles equipped with these systems tend to perform better in side-impact and rollover-related evaluations. While exact effect sizes vary by study, vehicle type, and crash scenario, the direction is clear: head protection in side impacts is a major contributor to injury risk reduction.

Buying or Renting: Practical Advice

If you are shopping for a vehicle—or renting one for family travel—use these considerations to maximize safety benefits.

• Prioritize curtain airbags that cover all seating rows if you carry rear passengers.
• For convertibles, look for head-thorax airbags and rollover protection systems (e.g., pop-up roll bars).
• Ask specifically about third-row coverage in SUVs and minivans, as it can vary by model year and trim.
• Check for airbag-related recalls by running your VIN through your national recall database; while most major recalls have involved front airbags, some side airbag inflators have been recalled in select models.
• Don’t disable airbags; ensure children are properly restrained in age-appropriate seats away from deployment zones.

Confirming coverage before you buy or rent can materially improve occupant protection in the worst-case scenario.

Bottom Line

Not all cars have side curtain airbags, but most new passenger vehicles in developed markets do, often as standard equipment. Older cars, some convertibles, select commercial or budget models, and certain trims in emerging markets may lack them or provide alternative head protection. If head protection in side impacts matters to you—and it should—verify that your vehicle has curtain airbags covering every row you use.

Summary

Side curtain airbags are not universally mandatory, but they are now common, especially in 2025-model passenger vehicles in the U.S. and Europe. They provide critical head protection in side impacts and rollovers and are strongly recommended. Check your specific vehicle’s equipment—particularly for older models, convertibles, three-row SUVs, and base trims—to ensure you have the level of protection you expect.

What cars have side curtain airbags?

10 Best Cars with Side Airbags

• 2016 Mazda Mazda3.
• 2016 Toyota Camry.
• 2016 Chrysler 200.
• 2016 Honda Civic Coupe.
• 2016 Chevrolet Malibu.
• 2016 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2-Door.
• 2016 Nissan Sentra.
• 2017 Hyundai Elantra.

Are side curtain airbags mandatory?

Side airbags aren’t specifically mandated, but nearly all manufacturers include them to meet federal side protection requirements. Engineers keep finding new ways to use airbags. Rear-window curtain airbags are designed to protect people in back seats in rear-end crashes.

How to tell if a car has side curtain airbags?

They will be marked on the seat, and if your car has side curtain airbags, there will be a marking on the side of the car near the roof.

When did cars get side curtain airbags?

Side tubular or curtain airbag
In May 1998, Toyota began offering a side-curtain airbag deploying from the roof on the Progrés. In 1998, the Volvo S80 was given roof-mounted curtain airbags to protect both front and rear passengers.