Hyundai and Kia’s record-breaking U.S. sales in August are being attributed to the proven safety features of their vehicles.
A recent incident in which 18-month-old twins survived a collision with a truck while riding in an IONIQ 5 has captured widespread attention in the U.S. This event has sparked renewed interest in past cases that demonstrated the vehicles’ safety, including the incident involving Tiger Woods, thereby boosting U.S. consumer preference for Hyundai and Kia models.
In addition, the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the highest safety ratings to a total of 14 models – seven from Hyundai, four from Genesis, and three from Kia – further validating their safety performance beyond anecdotal evidence.
According to industry sources on Wednesday, Hyundai and Kia achieved their highest-ever combined monthly sales of 179,455 vehicles in the U.S. last August, marking a 10.9% year-over-year increase.
The sales of their eco-friendly vehicles surged by 51.8% to 49,996 units, setting new records for both monthly sales volume and achieving their highest-ever proportion of eco-friendly vehicle sales at 27.9%. Electric vehicle sales reached a new monthly high of 16,102 units, with the IONIQ 5 accounting for nearly half of these at 7,773 units.
While some analysts attribute this surge to a pre-tariff demand spike, others credit Hyundai’s outstanding safety and product quality for influencing U.S. consumer decisions.
The IONIQ 5 has recently garnered attention for its proven safety performance, supported by real-world customer experiences and crash test results.
Last month, a social media user named Shane Barrett recounted his experience of how an IONIQ 5 protected his 18-month-old twins in a rear-end collision.
Barrett stated, “Was involved in a bad wreck this evening (yesterday technically) but for anyone wondering, the Ioniq 5 did its job. Protected my family, especially my 18 month old twin boys who were in the back seat.” He reported that although a pickup truck struck the vehicle at high speed, his family emerged with only minor scrapes and no serious injuries.
The photos Barrett shared showed the extensive damage to the rear of the IONIQ 5 as well as the involved pickup truck. Despite significant damage to the rear bumper and trunk, the IONIQ 5’s passenger compartment and rear-mounted car seats remained intact.
This account of the IONIQ 5 protecting young twins has gone viral across online communities in both the U.S. and South Korea.
Hyundai Motor Group’s vehicle safety has been proven through past incidents where its cars protected occupants in unexpected accidents.
In 2021, golfer Tiger Woods survived a rollover crash in a Genesis GV80. Although the vehicle’s exterior was severely damaged, police observed that the passenger compartment remained largely intact.
In December 2022, a couple survived with only minor injuries after their Hyundai Elantra N rolled 91 meters (approximately 299 ft) down a canyon, as reported by social media and local news outlets.
In May of the same year, Czech ice hockey player Jaromir Jagr collided with a tram while driving a Kia EV6 but walked away from the vehicle with only a minor injury to one hand, astonishing bystanders.
These real-world safety performances are further validated by rigorous crash test results.
In this year’s IIHS evaluations, Hyundai Motor Group earned Top Safety Pick+ ratings for 14 models across its Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia brands – including the IONIQ 5 -further cementing their reputation for superior safety.
