The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has recognized the 2020 Kia Telluride with a Top Safety Pick award, when the three-row SUV is equipped with optional LED headlights.

The Telluride was put through the paces and scored good ratings in six rigorous IIHS tests. These included the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, head restraint tests, and the passenger-side small overlap front test.

However, to earn Top Safety status vehicles must also achieve an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention as well as a good or acceptable headlight rating.

The Telluride rated well on both criteria.

The SUV’s standard front crash prevention system earned a superior rating from IIHS engineers. The vehicle avoided collisions in track tests at 12 and 25 mph and has a forward collision warning component that meets the criteria set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Finally, the Telluride's optional LED headlights, available on the SX trim, garnered an acceptable rating in IIHS tests.

While they created some glare, the low beams did a good job of lighting the road in all test scenarios. That headlight option also includes high-beam assist, a system that automatically switches between high beams and low beams, depending on the presence of other vehicles.