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SEARCHThe Insurance Institute for Highway Safety names the sedan a Top Safety Pick+ award winner after stellar performances in crashworthiness tests.
Photo: IIHS
The 2017-model year Kia Cadenza has earned the prestigious Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Cadenza drew the highest rating of “good” in all the crashworthiness tests, and the car’s front crash prevention system drew a rating of “superior.”
The redesigned model was the first Cadenza to undergo IIHS testing for small overlap front protection.
“In the test, which replicates what happens when the front driver-side corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object, the driver space was maintained well, with maximum intrusion of 4 inches at the parking brake pedal,” IIHS said in a released statement about the award. “The airbags and safety belt worked well together to control the dummy’s movement, and measures taken from the dummy showed a low risk of significant injuries.”
The Cadenza drew a “good” rating in the small overlap front test, the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests.
The car’s optional front crash prevention system avoided collisions in IIHS track tests at 25 mph and 12 mph, IIHS noted. The system also has a forward collision-warning component that meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria.
The LED lights that come with the Limited and Technology trims earned an “acceptable” headlight rating, with fair to good visibility in all scenarios, according to IIHS. The halogen lights that come with the Premium trim, however, drew a rating of “poor.”
To earn the 2017 Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle must have “good” ratings in all five crashworthiness tests, an available front crash prevention system with an “advanced” or “superior” rating, and headlights that draw an “acceptable” or “good” rating.
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