The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has bestowed its highest safety recognition — a Top Safety Pick+ award — on the 2022 Hyundai Tucson.

The small SUV underwent a series of six grueling crashworthiness tests and aced every one, earning good ratings across the board. These included the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests.

However, to capture “plus” status vehicles must also be available with a front crash prevention system that earns advanced or superior ratings in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations. 

Here again, the 2022 Tucson measured up. The SUV is available with two different front crash prevention systems, one standard and one optional. Both systems scored superior ratings in both evaluations.

But it’s the upgraded headlight package on the 2022 model that brought the “plus” status award home for the Tucson. 

In order to garner a Top Safety Pick+ the IIHS demands that vehicles come standard with good or acceptable headlights across trim levels. Previously, the 2021 Tucson fell short because it was available with poor-rated halogen headlights as well as two good-rated variations. 

But the latest 2022 Tucson is available with two different headlight systems—both of which meet the IIHS exacting standards. The LED projectors that come with the Limited trim earn a good rating, while the LED reflectors offered on other trims are rated acceptable.

By raising the bar on the headlights it offers, the 2022 Tucson rolled away with a Top Safety Pick+ award.