The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia Sportage have been selected as ‘Top Safety Pick Plus’ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
This collision evaluation result is particularly significant as it meets the strengthened evaluation criteria that have been implemented this year.
Starting this year, the criteria for side impact and pedestrian collision prevention have been raised, and headlamp evaluation standards have become stricter, making it more challenging to achieve high ratings.
Side impact evaluations now involve heavier collision objects and higher collision speeds. (Collision object weight from about 1,497kg to about 1,896kg, collision speed from about 49.8 km/h to about 59.5 km/h, impact energy increased by 82%)
Additionally, a nighttime test has been added to the pedestrian collision prevention evaluation, and headlamp evaluations must receive ‘acceptable’ ratings or higher for all trims to qualify.
To achieve the TSP+ rating, a vehicle must obtain the highest rating of ‘good’ in four safety assessment items: driver-side small overlap, passenger-side small overlap, moderate overlap front, and side impact tests.
Furthermore, for the front collision prevention system tests (both vehicle and pedestrian), a rating of ‘advanced’ or higher must be achieved, and headlamp evaluations must be rated ‘acceptable’ or higher across all trims.
Established in 1959, the IIHS is a nonprofit organization that annually evaluates the crashworthiness and crash prevention capabilities of vehicles released to the U.S. market and publishes the results.
Vehicles demonstrating the highest safety levels are awarded the TSP+ rating, while those with good performance receive the TSP rating.
This year, Hyundai Motor Group also had ten models, including the Genesis G90, Hyundai Palisade, and Kia Telluride in February, the Genesis GV60, GV70, GV70 electrified model, GV80, and Hyundai Ioniq 6 in August, and the Genesis G80 and G80 electrified model in October, that received the TSP+ rating under the strengthened evaluation criteria.
A Hyundai Motor Group official stated, “Safety is the top priority in the development of all our vehicles,” adding, “We will continue to make our best efforts to provide high levels of safety for both drivers and pedestrians.”
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr