Hyundai’s Sonata has earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), when equipped with optional Automatic Emergency Braking and LED headlights with Dynamic Bending Lights on vehicles built after September 2017, along with the recently announced Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport.
The announcement marks a total of three Hyundai vehicles attaining the safety achievement. Additionally, five Hyundai models were previously recognised for 2018 Top Safety Pick, including the Hyundai’s Ioniq Hybrid, Elantra, Elantra GT, Sonata and Tucson.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
“Hyundai recognises the importance in providing affordable, appealing and high quality products with an underlying commitment to safety,” said Hyundai Motor America director, Product Planning, Scott Margason.
“The innovations we are implementing for crash protection and prevention have all positively enhanced the safety of our products.”
To qualify for the Top Safety Pick award, vehicles must have good ratings in five IIHS crashworthiness tests: small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints, an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention and an acceptable or good headlight rating.
For the Top Safety Pick+ designation, vehicles must also gain an acceptable or good rating in passenger-side small overlap front tests and improved headlight rating. Features which helped these vehicles garner these recognitions included (but were not limited to) optional front-crash prevention, specific headlights and performances in IIHS track tests at various speeds.
In buyer studies, Blind Spot Detection is a top safety feature consumers want and the 2018 Sonata comes standard with Blind Spot Detection (BSD) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA). The Sonata is the only midsize car sold with this safety technology as standard equipment.
Despite drivers spending a minimal amount of time in reverse, one-quarter of all accidents happen when someone is backing up. BSD with RCTA helps drivers determine when the road behind them is clear.
Furthermore, there is also a new Lane Departure Warning system with an enhanced Lane Keep Assist function available.
