Hyundai Motor Group dominates IIHS safety ratings

Hyundai Motor’s Ioniq 9 earned a Top Safety Pick Plus rating in this year’s IIHS review. (Hyundai Motor Group)

Hyundai Motor Group said Tuesday that it secured the most accolades in the latest US vehicle safety evaluations for the second year in a row, reinforcing its standing as a global leader in automotive safety.

The South Korean automotive giant said 21 models across its Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands earned awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Of those, 18 models received the institute’s highest honor, the Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+), while three models earned the next Top Safety Pick (TSP) designation.

This year’s results marked a notable improvement, with the number of TSP+ winners rising from 12 last year to 18, underscoring the group’s continued focus on safety performance and build quality.

The TSP+ recipients included eight Hyundai models — Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Ioniq 9, Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe, Elantra and Sonata — five Kia models — EV9, Sportage, Sorento, Telluride and K4 — and five Genesis models, including the GV60, GV70 and GV80. Three models — the Hyundai Palisade, Hyundai Santa Cruz and Genesis G90 — earned the TSP rating.

The automaker highlighted the strong performance of its dedicated electric vehicles, noting that the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9 achieved the highest possible scores across all evaluation categories. Hyundai Motor Group said the results validate the safety performance of its Electric-Global Modular Platform.

The achievement comes despite tightened IIHS standards this year, which include more rigorous rear-seat passenger safety assessments. To qualify for a TSP+ or TSP rating, vehicles must earn a “Good” rating in small overlap front and updated side crash tests, as well as an “Acceptable” or higher rating in pedestrian crash prevention. Headlights must also be rated “Acceptable” or higher across all trim levels.

Despite the stricter criteria, the group’s internal combustion and hybrid models — including the Elantra, Sportage and Santa Fe — also secured top ratings.

Hyundai Motor Group said the results demonstrate its competitiveness amid the industry’s electrification transition and its ability to meet growing global demand for safer hybrid and electric vehicles.

“Our unwavering commitment to customer safety has been recognized for two consecutive years,” a group official said. “We will continue to deliver vehicles that meet the highest global safety standards.”