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The 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and Lexus RZ have earned the prestigious Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+) award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the institute's highest safety honor, demonstrating that leading electric vehicles (EVs) now offer exceptional occupant and pedestrian protection.
The IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award is the most stringent safety benchmark in the automotive industry. To qualify, a vehicle must achieve top marks across a series of rigorous evaluations. These include three different frontal crash tests, a side-impact test, and both daytime and nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian collision prevention tests. A key requirement for the "plus" designation is that headlights deemed sufficient by the IIHS must be standard across all trim levels. This ensures that safety isn't an optional extra reserved for higher-priced models.
Each of the three award-winning electric SUVs and sedans excelled in the IIHS testing protocol, but with slight variations in their ratings.
| Vehicle | Front Crash Prevention (Day/Night) | Headlight Rating | Key Safety Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis Electrified GV70 | Advanced | Good | Standard good-rated headlights on all trims |
| Hyundai Ioniq 6 | Superior | Acceptable | Superior-rated front crash prevention system |
| Lexus RZ | Superior | Acceptable | Superior-rated front crash prevention system |
The Genesis Electrified GV70’s front crash prevention system was rated Advanced, while its headlights received a Good rating on all trims. In contrast, both the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Lexus RZ earned a Superior rating for their front crash prevention systems, with their headlights receiving an Acceptable rating.
The recognition of these three EVs from different brands signifies a major step forward for the industry. IIHS President David Harkey emphasized this progress, stating, "It’s exciting to see three new EVs from different brands with the highest level of safety... 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." This highlights that safety innovation is keeping pace with the shift to electrification. They join other all-electric Top Safety Pick+ winners from 2023, including the Audi Q4 E-Tron, Genesis GV60, Rivian R1S, and Tesla Model Y, bringing the total number of award-winning EVs to 10 out of 51 vehicles.
It's important to note that IIHS has tightened its requirements for 2024. The new nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian test and a more demanding side-impact test mean that vehicles earning the award in the past do not automatically qualify now. This continuous evolution of standards pushes manufacturers to improve safety technologies further, especially in areas like pedestrian protection, where, as Harkey notes, "most fatal pedestrian crashes happen at night."
For car shoppers, an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award is one of the most reliable indicators of a vehicle's safety credentials. When researching your next vehicle, especially an EV, always check the latest IIHS ratings. Look beyond the overall award and examine the specific ratings for crashworthiness, crash prevention, and headlights. This detailed review will help you understand the vehicle's strengths. Prioritize models that include advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) as standard equipment, as these features are critical for achieving top crash prevention scores.
Ultimately, choosing a vehicle with the highest possible IIHS rating is a key step in protecting yourself, your passengers, and pedestrians on the road.
