Kia’s 2024 Telluride and Sportage Excel in IIHS Safety Awards

The 2024 Kia Telluride lands the IIHS Top Safety Pick+, while the Sportage secures the Top Safety Pick, showcasing Kia’s commitment to vehicle and pedestrian safety.

The 2024 Kia Telluride earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) prestigious Top Safety Pick+ award, positioning it as a leading choice for family SUV safety. Meanwhile, the 2024 Sportage, another popular model from Kia, secured the Top Safety Pick designation.

These recognitions come in the wake of the IIHS tightening its safety standards to enhance the protection of both occupants and pedestrians, necessitating superior crash test performance. To qualify, vehicles must now achieve a ’Good’ rating in the side crash protection and a ’Good’ or ’Acceptable’ rating in the revamped pedestrian front crash prevention assessments, which are conducted in both daylight and darkness. Additionally, the IIHS has refined its moderate front overlap test to include an extra dummy behind the driver, simulating a more comprehensive crash scenario.

The IIHS commends the Sportage and Telluride for providing top-tier protection for those inside the vehicle and pedestrians. Notably, the base Sportage LX comes equipped with an array of safety technologies, including forward collision-avoidance systems with detection capabilities for cars, pedestrians, and cyclists, as well as lane-keeping and departure warnings, among others. The 2024 model also introduces rear airbags.

Similarly, the base Telluride LX is outfitted with the same safety features as the Sportage, plus additional advanced aids like Intelligent Speed Limit Assist and Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control, showcasing Kia’s commitment to safety.

Steve Center, COO of Kia America, expressed the company’s support for the IIHS’s efforts to improve road safety and affirmed Kia’s dedication to meeting the stringent standards set by the agency. «Safety is a paramount concern for us, and we’re committed to continually enhancing safety features, as demonstrated by the 2024 Telluride,» he stated.

Given the ongoing challenges in road safety in the United States, where road fatalities remain high due to speeding, distracted driving, and impaired driving, the significance of vehicle safety cannot be overstated. As the IIHS research suggests, vehicles with higher safety ratings are associated with a reduced risk of crash fatalities, highlighting the importance of safety scores in car purchasing decisions.