Hyundai's Genesis GV80 SUV chosen as top safety pick in US

Genesis GV80 SUV / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

By Baek Byung-yeul

The GV80, an SUV model of Hyundai Motor Group's Genesis luxury brand, has been recognized as one of the safest vehicles in the United States in crash test ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the automotive group said Friday.

IIHS, an organization funded by auto insurance companies, said Genesis' luxury SUV GV80 earned a TOP SAFETY PICK+ award after receiving good ratings in its crashworthiness tests.

According to IIHS, the SUV underwent six tests: driver- and passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints.

To earn the TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating, a vehicle must pass front crash prevention tests and earn a superior or advanced rating in both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations. Also, the car needs to have good or acceptable headlights across all trim levels and packages.

“With a standard front crash prevention system that earned superior ratings in both evaluations, as well as standard acceptable-rated LED projector headlights, the first SUV in the Genesis lineup meets all those requirements,” the IIHS elaborated.

The GV80 is now Genesis' third vehicle to earn the TOP SAFETY PICK+ ratings this year. The brand's G70 sport sedan and the G90 flagship sedan already won TOP SAFETY PICK+ ratings in February.

“At Genesis, the customer is at the core of everything we do, and safety is our top priority,” Mark Del Rosso, president and CEO of Genesis Motor North America, said. “The GV80 is our latest entry in the Genesis line-up of vehicles that places customer safety first.”

IIHS began awarding the TOP SAFETY PICK + ratings since 2013, helping U.S. consumers choose the safest vehicles. In this year's midsize luxury SUV category, Hyundai Motor's Nexo fuel cell vehicle also won the same safety ratings as the GV80.