The 2016 Hyundai Tucson and 2016 Sonata from the Korean automaker have won the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) 2015 Top Safety Pick+ award in one of the industry’s most rigorous tests of vehicle safety.

This is the first time all-new Tucson, which launched in the Middle East in August, has received the highest honour from IIHS.

IIHS rates vehicles for occupant protection based on performance in five tests: moderate overlap front, small overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints. Winners of the 2015 Top Safety Pick+ award must earn good ratings in the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests, as well as a good or acceptable rating in the small overlap front test. Vehicles also need an available front crash prevention system with an advanced or superior rating.

"We are delighted to have been awarded the IIHS 2015 Top Safety Pick+. We don't just want to be part of things, we want to lead the field in terms of safety, innovative technology, quality and sustainability and this recent accolade reaffirms our commitment," said Jin (James) Kim, Vice President and Head of Hyundai operations in Africa and the Middle East.

"Hyundai's redesign of the All-New Tucson has earned the top rating in the small overlap front test and the Sonata has maintained its acceptable rating," said David Zuby, IIHS chief research officer. "Both vehicles have an available front crash prevention system that earns a superior rating in the IIHS autobrake test, a key criteria to qualify for a Top Safety Pick+ award."

Multiple advanced safety technology options are available for the 2016 Tucson and these include, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross-traffic Alert, Lane Change Assist, Backup Warning Sensors and a rear-view camera. In addition, advanced high-strength steel represents over 50 percent of the new Tucson’s structure, for enhanced crash safety.

The vehicle also features a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that alerts drivers if one or more tires are under-inflated, including the tire’s location.

Safety equipment on the 2016 Sonata line-up includes Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Traction Control System, six airbags, four-wheel disc brakes and ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with indicators for each tire.

Available in the region since August 2014, this model also features Smart Cruise Control with spot/start capability, Rear Parking Sensors, Blind Spot Detection (BSD) with Rear Cross-traffic Alert and Lane Change Assist. – TradeArabia News Service