Kia Earns Most 2018 IIHS Top Safety Picks of Any Automaker

Thursday, 24 May, 2018

Kia has the most vehicles out of any automaker to earn a Top Safety Pick (TSP) or Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for 2018.

TSP+ is the highest rating possible from the IIHS and, most notably, the revitalized 2019 Kia Sorento has earned the honor. This brings the number of Kia vehicles with either rating to eight.

The TSP+ rating is no easy feat. For the 2019 Sorento and three other Kia vehicles to achieve this honor, they had to earn “Good” ratings in each of the six different crashworthiness tests. Those tests are:

• Driver-side small overlap front

• Moderate overlap front

• Side Impact

• Roof strength

• Head restraint

• “Acceptable” or “Good” in Passenger-side small overlap front

In addition to those six tests, a TSP+ rating requires an “Advanced” or “Superior” rating in the front crash prevention test and a “Good” headlight rating.

The Kia vehicles that received TSP+ for 2018 are:

*• 2019 Sorento * when equipped with optional autonomous emergency braking and LED headlights.

*• 2018 Forte sedan * when equipped with optional autonomous emergency braking and high-intensity discharge (HID) dynamic bending light.

*• 2018 Optima * models built after January 2018 when equipped with optional autonomous emergency braking and LED headlights with high beam assist.

*• 2018 Soul * when equipped with optional autonomous emergency braking and HID headlights.

Four other Kia vehicles received TSP ratings. To earn this rating, vehicles must get “Good” ratings in the following five crashworthiness tests:

• Driver-side small overlap front

• Moderate overlap front

• Side Impact

• Roof strength

• Head restraint

A vehicle must also receive “Advanced” or “Superior” rating in front crash prevention and a “Good” or “Acceptable” rating in headlight testing.

Kia vehicles that received TSP for 2018 are:

*• 2018 Cadenza * when equipped with optional autonomous emergency braking and LED bi-function projection headlights.

*• 2018 Sedona * models built after May 2017 when equipped with optional autonomous emergency braking and Xenon HID headlights with auto leveling and high-beam assist.

*• 2018 Sorento * models built after May 2017 when equipped with optional autonomous emergency braking and HID headlights.

*• 2018 Sportage * models built after June 2017 when equipped with bi-xenon headlights with dynamic bending light.

Categories : News , Awards

Tags : Sedona , Cadenza , Optima , Forte , Sorento , 2019 Models , Top Safety Picks , IIHS , Sportage , Soul , 2018 Models , Awards