IIHS Revealed the Top Pick Safety Award winner

Recently, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced the 2024 Best Safety Vehicle Options Awards, with Japanese and Korean brands standing out, and SUVs performing well.The IIHS presented the 2024 Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards, with a total of 22 models receiving the Top Safety Pick+.

Japanese and Korean Brands Receive Top Safety Pick Awards

The Korean brand Hyundai Motor Group received the most awards this year, with its brands Genesis, Hyundai and Kia winning a total of 16 awards. Sixteen models won awards, including six in the Best Safety Award Plus category and 10 in the Best Safety Award category, where the criteria were more stringent.

Mazda followed with the most Best Safety Award Plus awards for any single brand, with five models winning the top prize, while Honda and its luxury brand Acura came in third with four awards.

In addition, the Tesla Model Y won the Best Safety Award+ for the sixth consecutive year. Other non-Japanese and Korean brands that won the Top Safety Pick+ award included the Ford Explorer, BMW X3, and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class with optional forward collision avoidance.

The midsize luxury SUV category had the most winners, with 12 models, while five models each of small SUVs, midsize SUVs and midsize luxury SUVs earned Top Safety Pick+ honors.

"The increase in the number of SUVs receiving awards may reflect the dominance of these vehicles in the U.S. market," IIHS President David Harkey said in a press release.

However, "it is unfortunate that only four pickup trucks and four midsize sedans were honored, given the popularity of pickup models." Harkey said.

What's new in this year's test

For 2024, the IIHS has made the test more difficult to earn the Best Safety Award and Best Safety Award Plus. To earn either award, a vehicle must have a "good" rating on the latest side impact test, an acceptable or good score on the latest frontal pedestrian crash prevention test, and good and acceptable headlights at all equipment levels.

This year's new side-impact test uses heavier obstacles (1,907 kg, compared to 1,498 kg) and impacts at higher speeds (59.6 kph, compared to 49.9 kph), boosting crash energy by 82 percent to simulate more severe accident conditions, such as collisions involving pickup trucks or heavy SUVs.

In addition, the IIHS has updated the moderate forward overlap crash test methodology. In the new test, the vehicle partially collides with another vehicle or fixed object to evaluate how the vehicle performs in a frontal crash. The new test standard not only requires the protection of front occupants, but also increases the protection of rear occupants, which was often overlooked in previous tests.

To qualify for the top "Best Safety Award Plus" award, a vehicle must receive a good rating in the updated moderate overlap test.

The IIHS also added a new requirement that vehicles must have the ability to effectively recognize and avoid striking pedestrians at night.

The IIHS says that the new test standards, which are more stringent this year, have promoted improvements in rear passenger protection and pedestrian crash prevention systems. However, 71 models still meet these new requirements.

 

IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Award Winning Models

Below are the models that have been honored with the 2024 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Award:

• Compact Cars
• Acura Integra
• Mazda 3 Hatchback
• Mazda 3 Sedan
• Toyota Prius (Toyota Prius)

Mid-size Cars

• Honda Accord (Honda Accord)
• Hyundai Ioniq 6 (Hyundai Ioniq 6)
• Large Luxury Sedan
• Genesis Electrified G80 (Genesis Electrified G80)
• Small SUV
• Jens GV60 (Genesis GV60)
• Mid-size SUV
• Ford Explorer
• Kia Telluride
• Mazda CX-90
• Nissan Pathfinder (built after November 2023)
• Subaru Ascent
• Mid-size luxury SUV
• Acura MDX (Acura MDX)
• BMW X3 (BMW X3)
• Jensen (Genesis) GV80 (produced after August 2023)
• Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class with optional forward collision prevention device trim level
• Tesla Model Y
• Honda HR-V
• Hyundai Kona
• Mazda CX-30
• Mazda CX-50 (built after August 2023)