Hyundai Motor Group sweeps board at IIHS safety awards

The Hyundai Motor Group once again received more safety awards than any of its counterparts from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) of the United States.

The conglomerate announced Thursday that 21 models under the Hyundai Motor Group umbrella were selected as 2022 Top Safety Picks+ and Top Safety Picks by IIHS. The automobiles that are especially resistant to vehicle crashes are labeled Top Safety Picks+.

The US-based institute is an independent scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries and property damage from motor vehicle crashes. The annual IIHS picks are widely considered to be among the strictest measures of automobile safety. 

To meet these criteria, the car needs to receive good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests.

It should also hold an advanced or superior rating for available front crash prevention — vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations; and be in good standing in terms of headlights. 

For this year, a total of 65 models received the TSP+ status and 36 got the regular TSP status.

For the Hyundai Motor Group, 11 models have been categorized as TSP+ and 10 models as TPS. 

By brand, Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. each had eight models selected for the TPS+ and TPS categories. The higher-end Genesis brand had all five of its models sold in the US categorized as TPS+. 

An industry insider said it is unusual for an automotive group to have more than 20 of its models in the TSP+ and TSP categories. 

Eleven models by Germany’s Volkswagen Group were categorized in the TSP+ and TSP categories. 

Toyota Group, Volvo Group, and Ford Motor Company had 10 of their models in those categories respectively.

Mercedes-Benz had three of its models in those categories; followed by BMW and Tesla with two such models each.

“The Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, and Genesis brands' high levels of safety have once again been recognized through the IIHS tests," an employee of the Hyundai Motor Group said. "We will continue to put the safety of customers at the forefront of our technological development."

Hyundai Motor Company is the largest member under the Hyundai Motor Group umbrella and has a controlling stake in Kia. The two companies are the largest and the second-largest car manufacturers in South Korea. 

Write to Byung-Uk Do at dodo@hankyung.com
Jee Abbey Lee edited this article.