The redesigned Hyundai Santa Fe, a midsize SUV, earns the 2018 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety when equipped with good-rated LED headlights.
The 2019 Santa Fe, like the discontinued Santa Fe Sport, has two rows of seats. The previous generation Santa Fe had three rows. Hyundai plans to continue producing that style as the Santa Fe XL.
Meanwhile, the 2019 Hyundai Accent, a minicar, qualifies for the TOP SAFETY PICK award, thanks to available headlights that earn an acceptable rating.
The 2019 Hyundai Accent
To qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK, a vehicle must have good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests, as well as a front crash prevention system that earns an advanced or superior rating and acceptable- or good-rated headlights.
To earn TOP SAFETY PICK+, a vehicle also needs an acceptable or good rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test, and the headlights must be good.
The new Santa Fe earns a good rating in the passenger-side small overlap test, an improvement over the 2018 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport, which both earned an acceptable rating in the newest crashworthiness evaluation from IIHS.
The SUV’s superior-rated front crash prevention system now comes standard. In track tests at 12 and 25 mph, the vehicle avoided collisions. The system also includes a forward collision warning component that meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria.
The Santa Fe’s Limited and Ultimate trims come with LED headlights that earn a good rating. The halogen lights on the other trim levels earn a marginal rating.
The Accent’s acceptable LED headlights come with the Limited trim and are new for the 2019 model. The base halogen lights earn a poor rating.
With the latest awards, Hyundai has earned 10 2018 awards — six with the plus and four without.
SOURCE: IIHS
