2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 and 2026 Kia Sportage Earn 2025 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK + Honors

Core Insights - Hyundai Motor Group has reinforced its status as a global leader in automotive safety, with multiple models receiving top safety ratings from the IIHS [1][10]. Group 1: Safety Ratings Achievements - The 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 and 2026 Kia Sportage have earned the 2025 TOP SAFETY PICK+ (TSP+) rating, while the 2026 Hyundai SANTA CRUZ received a 2025 TOP SAFETY PICK (TSP) rating [1][2]. - Both the IONIQ 9 and Sportage achieved "Good" ratings across all IIHS evaluation categories, including front and side crash protection and forward collision prevention [2][3]. - Hyundai Motor Group has a total of 18 models awarded TSP+ or TSP ratings in 2025, comprising nine Hyundai, five Genesis, and four Kia models [4]. Group 2: Brand Performance - Hyundai ranks first among mainstream brands, with Kia in sixth place, while Genesis leads the premium brand category and ranks third overall across all evaluated brands [5]. Group 3: Recent Model Ratings - Earlier in 2025, several Hyundai models, including IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, KONA, TUCSON, and others, received TSP+ ratings, along with Genesis and Kia models [6]. Group 4: IIHS Evaluation Standards - The IIHS has implemented stricter safety standards for 2025, requiring vehicles to achieve "Good" ratings in new rear-passenger safety evaluations to qualify for TSP+ [7][8]. - Vehicles must also achieve "Good" ratings in small overlap front and updated side crash tests, and at least "Acceptable" ratings in daytime and nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian forward collision prevention evaluations [9].