2018 Kia Sorento Promoted To IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus

Kia has consistently improved the safety ratings of its midsize SUV offering, the Sorento. And now the 2018 model has received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest rating as a Top Safety Pick Plus.

For 2018, Kia has finally put a complete safety package together. After acing crash tests and adding collision mitigation technology, the 2018 Sorento gets new high-intensity discharge projector beams with auto-leveling as part of the Advanced Technology Package – a $2,000 option – for the SX trim. The headlights are standard on the SX Limited model that costs $45,340, including the destination $940 fee. The upgraded headlights earned an Acceptable rating, which is the second best possible rating, helping the Sorento to earn the coveted Top Safety Pick+. The win has been part of a concerted effort by Kia to improve the safety record of its biggest SUV.

The 2016 Sorento was named a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, as it earned a rating of "Good," which is the best score available, in all five of the institute's crashworthiness tests, including the small overlap front, roof strength, moderate overlap front, side, and head restraints and seats. The SUV received a rating of "Basic" for crash avoidance and mitigation features and a the lowest rating of "Poor" for its headlights.

In 2017, the Sorento returned with the same crash test ratings in all five categories, a rating of superior for crash avoidance and mitigation features, but was still held back by its headlights, which, once again, received a rating of Poor, causing the Sorento to remain a Top Safety Pick.

With the new rating, the 2018 Sorento ranks in as one of the safest SUVs in the midsize class, as it ranks above the Honda Pilot and Mazda CX-9, but just behind the Toyota Highlander and the Hyundai Santa Fe, as Top Safety Pick Plus winners. The Santa Fe received a rating of Good for all five crash tests, a rating of Superior for front crash prevention features, and a rating of Good for its headlights. That's almost a perfect score – only its child seat anchors, which received an Acceptable rating, let it down.