2024 Hyundai Tucson earns Top Safety Pick+ honor

Changes made to the 2024 Hyundai Tucson have allowed it to earn a Top Safety Pick+ award, the IIHS announced Thursday.

To earn a 2024 Top Safety Pick+ award, the highest IIHS safety award, vehicles must earn the highest “Good” rating in the small-overlap front and updated side impact tests, as well as a “Good” or “Acceptable” rating in the updated moderate-overlap front test. In addition to crash performance, criteria include a “Good” or “Acceptable” rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention test and “Good” or “Acceptable” headlights across all trim levels.

Most small crossovers were caught out by the updated IIHS front moderate overlap test, which now measures second-row safety with the addition of a dummy in that location, as were many larger three-row SUVs. The Tucson was among those initially earning a “Poor” rating in the updated test. But Hyundai made changes that improved the score.

Tucsons built after March 2024 have modified seatbelts that made the difference in meeting the Top Safety Pick+ criteria, according to the IIHS. Following that change, the Tucson earned a “Good” rating in the updated moderate-overlap front test.

The vehicle’s structure held up well during the test, and measurements taken from the driver dummy indicated no elevated risk of injury, according to the IIHS. The second-row dummy showed slightly elevated risk of head and neck injuries, as the dummy’s head came closer than desired to the front seat back during the crash. But that wasn’t enough to affect the rating.

The Tucson’s standard front-crash prevention system also earned a “Good” rating in the pedestrian avoidance test, and the Hyundai’s two available headlight options both earned “Acceptable” ratings.

These updates are another example of the IIHS and automakers working together to make vehicles safer for consumers. After the 2024 Kia EV9 failed to qualify for an award from the insurance-industry funded non-profit, Kia adjusted the headlight aim to achieve a higher rating.