Tag Archives: Safety

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Hyundai Motor Group: Safe, Sensible — and Smashing the Competition

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There was a time when “Hyundai” and “Kia” were words you’d utter with a polite nod and a mental note to check the warranty before the badge. Fast forward to 2025, and the Korean power trio — Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis — aren’t just playing in the big leagues; they’re setting the rules. And this time, the scoreboard isn’t about horsepower, range, or touchscreen inches. It’s about something a little more vital: safety.

In the latest crash safety evaluations by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Hyundai Motor Group has gone and pulled off a proper clean sweep. The freshly minted 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 and 2026 Kia Sportage (post–May 2025 builds) have both clinched the coveted 2025 TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating — the automotive equivalent of a gold medal in a triathlon of destruction. Meanwhile, the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz bags a TOP SAFETY PICK, making it the only small pickup in its class tough enough to survive the IIHS’s new gauntlet.

Built Tougher, Tested Harder

This year, IIHS raised the bar — and then welded it shut. The new 2025 safety protocol doesn’t just crash cars; it throws the back-seat passengers into the mix with a new dummy designed to simulate a small woman or 12-year-old child. It’s an unflinching look at how cars protect everyone inside, not just the driver. To nab a TSP+, you now need a “Good” rating in every major crash category, plus headlights that won’t blind passing owls, and a collision avoidance system that spots pedestrians even in low light.

So, when the IONIQ 9 breezed through the tests with “Good” marks across the board, it didn’t just pass — it dominated. Likewise, the Sportage, which previously had to settle for a mere TSP, clawed its way to TSP+ glory thanks to smarter collision prevention and better headlight performance. The Santa Cruz, ever the rugged oddball, proved that pickups can do safety and style.

Home and Away Wins

What’s more impressive? These models didn’t just ace the American tests. Both the IONIQ 9 and Sportage also earned top marks from the Korea New Car Assessment Program (KNCAP) — the Korean equivalent of IIHS — meaning they’re not just local heroes but global champions.

And Hyundai Motor Group’s victory lap doesn’t end there. Across its portfolio, the company now counts 18 models with TSP or TSP+ ratings for 2025. That’s nine Hyundais, five Genesises (Genesi?), and four Kias, making this the second consecutive year Hyundai Motor Group has more IIHS safety awards than any other automaker on Earth. That’s not just bragging rights — that’s a dynasty in the making.

The Safety Hall of Fame

If you’re keeping score, Hyundai’s all-star safety lineup reads like a who’s who of their latest design renaissance: the IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, KONA, TUCSON, SANTA FE, ELANTRA, and SONATA all wear the TSP+ badge. Genesis’s GV60, GV70, GV70 Electric, and GV80 continue to prove luxury can coexist with laboratory-grade safety. Over at Kia, the EV9, Telluride, K4, and Sportage round out the list — each one a testament to how far Korean engineering has come from the days of beige sedans and apologetic styling.

Genesis, meanwhile, isn’t just playing catch-up with the Germans — it’s overtaking them. The brand leads the premium safety rankings, and sits third overall among all manufacturers tested by IIHS as of October 2025. That’s rarefied air usually reserved for Volvo and a few prayerful Swedes.

Beyond the Crash Test Dummies

Safety isn’t sexy — or at least, it didn’t used to be. But there’s something undeniably cool about an automaker that treats crash testing as a form of art. Hyundai Motor Group isn’t simply meeting the minimums; it’s redefining what “safe” means in a future filled with batteries, sensors, and AI-powered brakes.

It’s proof that modern Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis models aren’t just looking good and driving well — they’re engineered to protect you with the same precision that built them.

And when the worst happens, you’ll be glad the folks in Seoul spent so much time smashing cars to bits — so you don’t have to.

Source: Kia

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HWA EVO Proves Safety and Performance Can Coexist

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When it comes to motorsport legends, few names resonate like the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 EVO II. Last year, HWA AG, the company renowned for its decades of motorsport excellence, offered a bold reinterpretation of that icon: the HWA EVO. But this isn’t just a nostalgic nod to the past—it’s a fully realized, thoroughly engineered modern sports car, with a price tag of €714,000 to match its exclusivity.

Unlike many limited-edition homages, the HWA EVO isn’t just about looks. The development program was unusually rigorous, matching—or even exceeding—the standards typically reserved for mass-produced vehicles. That’s no small feat for a car based on a 30-year-old chassis. Under the guidance of TÜV Süd, HWA carried out homologation crash tests using a purpose-built prototype chassis. Forward and rearward acceleration tests validated seat anchorages, while seat belt tension, ISOFIX anchorage, and rear seat load tests all passed with flying colors. In total, more than 60 tests—including brake, component, and emissions evaluations—confirmed that the HWA EVO is as safe and structurally sound as it is striking.

“Our goal was to create a vehicle that can proudly bear the name HWA,” says CEO Martin Marx. “After decades in top motorsport and complex road vehicle projects, it goes without saying that we demand the highest standards of quality, performance, and safety from the first road vehicle under the HWA banner.”

With safety checks behind them, the development team is now turning its attention to what really matters: the driving experience. Extensive testing has already taken place across a range of conditions, and future sessions will push the EVO through its paces on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, winter roads in northern Europe, and the sunny circuits of southern Spain. Bosch Engineering will join HWA at the Boxberg test track to fine-tune dynamics and performance, ensuring the car delivers a pure, engaging driving experience worthy of its heritage.

Production will be strictly limited to 100 units, all of which are already reserved—a testament to both HWA’s motorsport pedigree and the enduring allure of the 190E legend. The HWA EVO proves that even decades-old designs can be reimagined with modern engineering rigor, resulting in a collector’s piece that is as functional as it is beautiful.

Source: HWA

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Volvo’s Next Safety Revolution: The Seatbelt That Thinks for You

If you thought the seatbelt had reached its final form sometime around 1972, think again. Volvo — the brand that basically invented modern safety — is about to make you rethink that humble strip of fabric that’s saved more lives than any other car tech ever created. Enter the world’s first multi-adaptive safety belt, debuting in the fully electric Volvo EX60, and already crowned one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2025.

Yes, you read that right. A seatbelt made the same list as bleeding-edge AI systems, next-gen vaccines, and whatever Elon’s cooking up this week. But this isn’t your granddad’s belt. This one knows you. Literally.

A Belt With Brains

Volvo’s calling it the multi-adaptive safety belt, and it’s exactly that — a strap with smarts. Using real-time data from the car’s array of interior and exterior sensors, it can fine-tune its tension, resistance, and load settings depending on both the traffic conditions and the body shape of whoever’s wearing it.

Got a 6’4” rugby player in the driver’s seat and a 5’2” barista in the passenger side? The EX60 will tailor each belt to suit them. In a serious crash, the system can increase the belt load for the bigger occupant to reduce head injury risk, while easing the load for smaller passengers to protect against rib damage. It’s like having a safety engineer sitting in the car, constantly recalculating — except it all happens in milliseconds.

Smarter Every Mile

Because this is 2025, the EX60’s belt isn’t just adaptive — it’s evolving. Like your phone or your Tesla, it’ll receive over-the-air software updates. As Volvo gathers more real-world crash and driver data, the system’s algorithms will get sharper, learning how to respond to new scenarios and occupant types.

In other words, your seatbelt will get better with age. Which is something no one’s ever said before, except maybe about a good pair of jeans.

Safety Is Still Sexy (in a Swedish Kind of Way)

Volvo’s safety boss, Åsa Haglund, puts it simply: “We’re leveraging real-time data to adapt to the situation and the person wearing it – providing smarter, personalised protection that can help reduce injury.” Translation: the brand that once gave us the three-point belt — and refused to patent it so others could save lives too — is still miles ahead when it comes to keeping people in one piece.

It’s also the second year in a row Volvo’s been on TIME’s Best Inventions list. Last year, it was the Driver Understanding System — a sort of digital co-pilot that keeps an eye on you in case you’re drowsy, distracted, or thinking of checking your phone mid-curve.

The Next Chapter: EX60

We’ll see the full reveal of the Volvo EX60 — the SUV that debuts this world-first tech — on January 21, 2026, live from Stockholm. Expect minimalist Scandinavian design, all-electric power, and a cabin that’s basically a masterclass in calm, data-driven safety.

The rest of the industry? They’ll be watching, taking notes, and probably feeling a bit nervous.

Because when Volvo starts reinventing the seatbelt, you know the safety game’s about to change all over again.

Source: Volvo