Team Gunther Kia Official Blog
2018 Kia Rio Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus Honor
By Product Expert | Posted in Kia Rio, Safety on Tuesday, October 16th, 2018 at 9:27 pm
We’ve already written about several of the Kia models that have received premium safety accolades from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Now a new model is joining the lineup. Thanks to some of the significant changes that were made on the Kia Rio for the 2018 model year, this elegant compact car now boasts a Top Safety Pick Plus rating. If you have been asking “Is the 2018 Kia Rio a safe car?” this honor answers that with a resounding “Yes!”
Is the 2018 Kia Rio a Safe Car?
The 2018 Kia Rio is absolutely a safe car. The Top Safety Pick honor from the IIHS means that this small car offers some of the best survive-ability for drivers and passengers who end up in an accident. Even better, the “Plus” rating means that this model can help drivers avoid accidents. The vehicle that was tested included LED headlights available even on the S trim with the Tech Package, and available Autonomous Emergency Braking.
“The Rio may have a small footprint, but it’s a big performer in all other areas, including driving dynamics, style, features, and now safety accolades,” said Orth Hedrick, executive director, Car Product and Telematics, Kia Motors America (KMA), in a recent Kia press release. “Being the first automaker to establish a TSP+ in the minicar segment is further proof that Kia is dedicated to improving the quality and integrity of our world-class model line.”
Autonomous Emergency Braking on the 2018 Rio
Autonomous Emergency Braking is standard on the elite 2018 Kia Rio EX trim. This is the first time this driver assistance feature will be offered on the subcompact Rio. It can help notify drivers of obstacles on the road and even take action to stop the car before an impact can occur in certain situations.
2018 Rio Crash Ratings
In order to earn the Top Safety Pick Plus, the 2018 Kia Rio received the top “Good” rating in all five standard IIHS crash tests (head restraints, roof strength, side impact, moderate overlap front impact and driver-side small impact) as well as a “Good” or “Acceptable” rating in the new passenger-side small impact test. The fact that the 2018 Kia Rio met all these standards can offer drivers even more peace of mind.
