Genesis cars ace IIHS crash tests in US

Genesis's GV70 SUV / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

By Baek Byung-yeul

Genesis' newly launched cars ― the GV70 SUV and the G70 sedan ― have been recognized as some of the safest vehicles in crash test ratings by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Hyundai Motor Group said Friday.

IIHS, an organization funded by car insurance companies, is known to apply the most demanding standards in its safety evaluations. The organization said Genesis' mid-size GV70 SUV and face-lifted G70 compact sedan earned the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award after receiving good ratings in crashworthiness tests.

To win the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, vehicles must earn good ratings in all six crashworthiness evaluations, including driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. They must also be available with a front crash prevention system that earns advanced or superior ratings in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations, according to IIHS.

“Both the G70 and GV70 have standard, good-rated headlights and standard front crash prevention systems that earned superior ratings in the vehicle-to-vehicle evaluation and advanced ratings in the vehicle-to-pedestrian test,” IIHS said.

With the two vehicles receiving the TOP SAFETY PICK+ ratings, Genesis said all models released in the U.S. are included in the highest safety rating class.

Genesis has set a record of obtaining the TOP SAFETY PICK+ ratings every year, starting with the G80 sedan in 2016, when the luxury brand of Hyundai Motor Group entered the U.S. market.

Since 2019, Genesis has received the TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating for all Genesis sedan vehicles, including the G70, the G80 and the G90 in the U.S. for the third consecutive year this year. The GV80, the brand's first SUV, also received the same rating in its first evaluation following its 2020 U.S. debut.

“The acquisition of the highest grade in all models shows the brand's firm commitment to safety,” a company official said. “We will not compromise anything with the safety of our customers as the top priority in the future.”