Hyundai Shines in 2025 IIHS Top Safety Awards: A Closer Look at Back Seat Safety & Hyundai’s Industry Leadership

At Crain Hyundai of Bentonville, we know safety is your top priority. Whether you’re driving through Northwest Arkansas or taking a family trip, you want a car that protects everyone—front and back. That’s why we’re excited to share that Hyundai just won five 2025 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Awards. This proves Hyundai’s commitment to safety, especially for passengers in the back seat.

What’s New in 2025? Tougher Safety Rules

Every year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) makes its safety tests harder to pass. In 2025, they added a big change: crash tests now check how well the back seat protects passengers. The updated moderate overlap test is crucial for vehicle safety evaluations, particularly emphasizing the inclusion of a second dummy in the back seat to assess rear seat protection more effectively.

• They added a second crash-test dummy behind the driver to represent a child or small adult.
• This is because many cars, including small cars, protect front-seat passengers better than those in the back.
• To qualify for Top Safety Pick, a car must earn at least an “acceptable” rating in this test.
• For the highest award, Top Safety Pick+, it must earn a “good” rating.

The IIHS also requires:

• Good ratings in side and small front-overlap crash tests. 
• Good or acceptable ratings for avoiding pedestrian crashes (day and night).
• Good or acceptable headlights on all models.

Hyundai’s 2025 Safety Award Winners

Even with stricter tests, five Hyundai models earned the Top Safety Pick+ award:

• 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 (Electric)
• 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 (Electric)
• 2025 Hyundai Kona (Gas model)
• 2025 Hyundai Tucson/Tucson Hybrid
• 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe/Santa Fe Hybrid (made after Nov. 2024)

These models were evaluated under the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), which plays a crucial role in assessing the safety ratings of new vehicles.

These cars don’t just have strong frames—they also have advanced safety tech to protect everyone inside. Many of these features, such as front crash prevention technology, are optional but significantly contribute to achieving high safety ratings.

Hyundai Motor Group: #1 in Safety

Hyundai isn’t the only winner—its sister brands Kia and Genesis also earned top safety awards. Together, Hyundai Motor Group won 12 awards, making it the safety leader in 2025.

These safety tests are conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to ensure high standards.

Vehicles from Hyundai Motor Group consistently earn good ratings, demonstrating their commitment to exceptional safety features and performance.

What Makes Hyundai So Safe?

Hyundai doesn’t just pass tests—it designs cars with real-world safety in mind. Many models come with Hyundai SmartSense, a package of safety features like:

• Forward Collision Warning (helps avoid crashes with cars or pedestrians).
• Blind-Spot Warning (alerts you if a car is in your blind spot).
• Lane Keeping Assist (helps you stay in your lane).
• Rear Seat Alerts (reminds you to check the back seat).
• Side Airbags for Back-Seat Passengers (extra protection in a crash).

Advanced technology plays a crucial role in enhancing these vehicle safety features, ensuring comprehensive protection for all occupants.

“We want every passenger—front or back—to be safe,” Cole Stutz, Hyundai’s Chief Safety Officer, said. “That’s why we’ve added better seat belts, airbags, and alerts.” 

The importance of the crash prevention test in evaluating Hyundai’s safety features cannot be overstated, as it ensures that vehicles meet the highest safety standards.

Why This Matters for Bentonville Drivers

In Northwest Arkansas, life gets busy. Whether you’re:

• Driving on I-49 during rush hour,
• Taking kids to school in Bentonville
• Heading to the Ozarks for the weekend

Safety ratings and symbols, such as the 5-Star Safety Ratings program and safety alerts, are essential for consumers making informed purchasing decisions about new vehicles.

“Every winning 2025 Hyundai protects front and back seats equally,” David Harkey, IIHS President, said. That means families, couples, and solo drivers can all trust Hyundai. Research plays a crucial role in developing Hyundai’s safety features, ensuring enhanced protection for all occupants.

Test Drive a Top-Safety Hyundai in Bentonville

Ready for a safer ride? Visit Crain Hyundai of Bentonville to check out our 2025 Top Safety Pick+ models, including:

• The electric Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6
• The popular Tucson and Santa Fe SUVs
• The fuel-efficient Kona

Experience the benefits of making a purchase decision with Hyundai’s top safety models, including incentives like charging equipment and installation offers for the new 2025 Ioniq models.

Stop by or schedule a test drive today! See why Hyundai leads in safety for 2025 and beyond. Test drive our vehicles and explore their advanced safety features.

Tags: 2025 models, Awards, Back seat, Bentonville, Crash test, Hyundai, IIHS, Safety, SmartSense, Top Safety Pick+
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