IIHS Names 2011 Hyundai Sonata a "Top Safety Pick"

If you’re shopping for an inexpensive midsize sedan, you might want to give the 2011 Hyundai Sonata a closer look. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently named the 2011 Sonata a “Top Safety Pick,” which is the organization’s highest honor.

According to the institute, “To qualify for ‘Top Safety Pick,’ a vehicle must earn the highest rating of good in the Institute’s front, side, rear, and rollover tests and be equipped with electronic stability control.” Last year’s Sonata fared better in front and rear collision tests than in rollover and side-impact tests.

Improving the 2010 Hyundai Sonata to qualify for the distinction was no easy task. Cars.com notes: “Earning the award became tougher when IIHS added a new roof-strength test that is twice as stringent as the federal requirement. As a result, many of the vehicles that had previously qualified as Top Picks fell off the list in 2010.”

Long List of Safety Features

As you would expect, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata comes loaded with standard safety features. As stated in a press release from Hyundai: “Sonata is built from the ground up with safety in mind, with a hot stamped ultra-high-strength steel body structure, advanced airbag technology and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), delivering on Hyundai's commitment to both active and passive safety technology leadership. … The Sonata also features a state-of-the-art Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) including Brake Assist and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). Sonata features six airbags—including dual front, front seat-mounted side-impact, and front and rear side curtain airbags—along with active front-seat head restraints.”

“This is a relatively big achievement for Hyundai, as the 2011 model is the first Sonata to receive this high honor,” said Autoblog. Hopefully all of this means that with an online car insurance policy, the Sonata will have relatively cheap rates.