Kia Soul awarded ‘Top Safety Pick’ in IIHS crash tests
With less than a year on the global market, the eye-catching Kia Soul already has won numerous accolades, including a ‘5-Star Crash Safety Rating’ from Euro-NCAP and ‘Best New MPV’ from Which? Driver’s 2009 consumer survey in the UK. Kia Motors’ affordable halo car now adds a 2009 ‘Top Safety Pick’ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to its list of accomplishments, selected as one of only 10 small vehicles to earn the organization’s top honor for earning “Good” ratings – the highest achievable – in frontal, side and rear impact crash safety tests.
Ratings from the Institute are based on results from frontal, side and rear impact crash tests, with each vehicle’s overall evaluation based on various measurements specific to each crash angle, and overall impact on crash test dummies inside the vehicle at the time of collision. All vehicles must have electronic stability control available to be eligible.
Kia Motors’ newest five-door is a perfect embodiment of the brand’s current design-led transformation with its fun and unique design. In addition to immense style and value, Soul also offers consumers the same high level of standard safety equipment as all Kia vehicles, including front seat active headrests, dual front advanced airbags, front seat-mounted and full-length side curtain airbags, an Antilock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist System (BAS) and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Front and rear crumple zones, side-impact door beams, an impact-absorbing steering column and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system also come standard.