Hyundai Leads Industry with Nine 2025 IIHS Top Safety Picks

The 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 and Santa Cruz have earned top 2025 IIHS safety honors, reaffirming Hyundai’s leadership in vehicle safety and innovation.

Hyundai has once again strengthened its position among the leaders in automotive safety. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has honored two new models — the 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 and the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz — with top safety awards. The all-electric IONIQ 9 earned the prestigious TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation, while the compact pickup Santa Cruz received the TOP SAFETY PICK title.

With these new recognitions, Hyundai now counts nine vehicles awarded by IIHS for the 2025 model year, including eight with the highest TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating. This achievement places the company at the forefront of the industry in terms of vehicle safety recognition.

For 2025, IIHS has tightened its testing criteria, placing greater emphasis on second-row occupant protection. To qualify for a TOP SAFETY PICK, a vehicle must achieve at least an acceptable rating in the updated moderate overlap front test, while a good rating is required for the TOP SAFETY PICK+ distinction.

Cole Stutz, Chief Safety Officer at Hyundai Motor North America, noted that these results reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to innovation and the highest safety standards. According to him, every new Hyundai model is engineered with a focus on quality and protection for all occupants.

IIHS awards continue to guide consumers seeking the most dependable vehicles, and Hyundai’s latest success reaffirms its reputation as a brand that blends technology, attention to detail, and responsibility toward drivers and passengers.