2018 Kia Rio a Top Safety Pick Plus due to its Headlights

There’s a running theme with new vehicles earning a Top Safety Pick Plus award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS): headlights. For many, poor headlights have stood in the way of a Top Safety Pick Plus designation. However, as more automakers grow accustomed to the requirement, more will pass the rigorous gamut of tests, just like the redesigned 2018 Kia Rio, which earned the prestigious honor.

To earn the award, a vehicle has to pass several IIHS tests with a specific score. A vehicle must receive a “Good” rating in the head restraint, roof strength, side, driver-side small overlap front, and moderate overlap tests. It must also earn an “Acceptable” or better rating passenger-side small overlap test rating. Vehicles must also have a front crash prevention system that earns an “Advanced” or “Superior” rating. And the final piece of the award puzzle? Headlights that earn a “Good” rating.

The 2018 Rio earned an “Acceptable” rating in the passenger-side crash test while offering an optional front crash prevention system that earned a “Superior" rating. The LED headlights, which are optional with the Technology Package that's available on the mid-level S trim, earned a “Good” rating. Rio models without the Technology Package come with halogen lights, which earned a “Poor” rating.

The IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus award is only for 2018 Kia Rios built after June 2018.