2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 and 2026 Santa Cruz Awarded Top Safety Honors by The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

Core Insights - Hyundai has received recognition for outstanding safety performance with the 2026 IONIQ 9 earning the 2025 TOP SAFETY PICK+ (TSP+) award and the 2026 Santa Cruz receiving the 2025 TOP SAFETY PICK (TSP) designation, bringing Hyundai's total to nine IIHS TSP/TSP+ awarded vehicles for 2025 [1][5] Summary by Category Safety Awards - The 2026 IONIQ 9 and 2026 Santa Cruz have been awarded the 2025 TSP+ and TSP respectively, highlighting Hyundai's commitment to safety [1][3] - Hyundai now leads the industry with nine vehicles recognized by IIHS for 2025, including eight TSP+ awards and one TSP award [1][5] IIHS Testing Criteria - The 2025 IIHS test criteria have become more stringent, particularly regarding second-row occupant safety, requiring an acceptable rating for TSP and a good rating for TSP+ [2][5] - To qualify for TSP/TSP+, vehicles must achieve good ratings in small overlap front and updated side tests, as well as acceptable or good ratings in pedestrian front crash prevention evaluations [3][5] Economic Impact - Hyundai's operations in the U.S. contribute $20.1 billion annually to the economy and support 190,000 jobs, reflecting the company's significant presence in the market [4]