In a recent announcement, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) has bestowed its prestigious Top Safety Pick+ award upon three model year 2023 electric vehicles: the Genesis Electrified GV70, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and Lexus RZ 450e. This recognition underscores the automakers’ commitment to ensuring the safety of their electric car models.
The IIHS evaluation process encompasses a comprehensive examination of a vehicle’s safety attributes, including crashworthiness, avoidance, and mitigation capabilities. These aspects are crucial in assessing how well a vehicle safeguards its occupants during a collision and the role of safety technologies in minimizing collision impacts.
To qualify for the coveted Top Safety Pick+ accolade, cars must achieve excellent ratings in multiple tests, including driver-side and passenger-side small overlap, original moderate overlap, and updated side tests, as outlined by the IIHS.
Furthermore, the evaluation extends beyond collision test scores to include the quality of headlights and the effectiveness of frontal crash prevention systems, both in daytime and nighttime conditions, particularly when pedestrians are involved. It’s worth noting that these criteria have been updated from the 2022 rules, demonstrating the evolving landscape of automotive safety standards.
Among the standout performances, the Genesis Electrified GV70 earned “advanced ratings” in vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash tests, while the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Lexus RZ 450e achieved “superior ratings” in the same evaluation. Notably, the Electrified GV70 boasts superior headlight performance compared to the other two models, according to the IIHS.
It’s important to mention that the Electrified GV70 utilizes a different platform than the GV60 and Ioniq 6, which ride on the Electric-Global Modular Architecture (E-GMP). However, the Electrified GV70’s safety credentials are equally impressive, earning it an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award.
All three electric vehicles secured top ratings in the driver-side small overlap front test, with the crash test results demonstrating well-maintained dummy positions in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel, as affirmed by the IIHS.
David Harkey, President of IIHS, emphasized the significance of prioritizing safety in electric vehicles, stating, “Making sure safety continues to be a priority in alternatively powered vehicles is critical if we are going to achieve the vision of zero traffic fatalities.”
In addition to the Genesis Electrified GV70, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and Lexus RZ 450e, several other 2023 electric vehicles have also received the IIHS’ highest safety accolade, including the Audi Q4 E-Tron, Q8 E-Tron, Volkswagen ID.4, Subaru Solterra, Volvo XC40 Recharge, and Rivian R1S and R1T.
