Hyundai Motor, Kia top U.S. safety rankings for second straight year

(Hyundai Motor/Kia)

Hyundai Motor Group has placed the largest number of vehicle models among global brands in the top tier of the most prestigious U.S. crash safety evaluations. This marks the second consecutive year the auto giant has been recognized in the United States for having the highest number of safest cars.

Hyundai Motor Group announced on Tuesday that the Genesis G80 and Kia Sorento SUV earned the highest Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) rating in the latest evaluations by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Hyundai Palisade earned the Top Safety Pick (TSP) rating.

IIHS awards the TSP+ designation to vehicles that demonstrate the highest level of safety in crash tests, and the TSP rating to vehicles with strong overall performance.

Hyundai Motor Group received TSP+ and TSP ratings for a total of 21 models, the highest number among global automakers.

Eight Hyundai models – including the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Kona, and Tucson – earned the TSP+ rating. Five Kia models, such as the EV9 and Sportage, and five Genesis models, including the GV70 and GV80, also received the same top rating.

The TSP rating was awarded to three models – the Hyundai Palisade, Santa Cruz, and Genesis G90.

Electric vehicles built on Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated EV platform (E-GMP), such as the Ioniq 9 and EV9, achieved the highest safety ratings.