FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., 11/25/2008 For a second year in a row, three Hyundai models earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) Top Safety Pick award. The Hyundai Veracruz and Santa Fe received awards in the midsize SUV segment and the Hyundai Entourage in the minivan segment. All winning vehicles are recognized for their ability to protect passengers in front, side and rear crashes.

This marks the fourth year in a row the Entourage has received the Institute’s highest honor in the minivan category and second year in a row for the Veracruz and Santa Fe. All three vehicles also earned five-star crash test ratings, the highest government rating under NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program, for both frontal and side impact.

Top Safety Pick awards recognize vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side and rear crashes based on ratings in the Institute’s tests. Each vehicle’s overall evaluation is based on a variety of measures including injuries to dummies, vehicle’s structural performance, restraint performance, etc. Winners are also required to be equipped with the latest crash prevention technology, electronic stability control (ESC) — which is standard on all three Hyundai Top Safety Pick vehicles and 67 percent of all Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S.

According to the IIHS, “Consumers are the biggest winners. No matter what kind of vehicle buyers may be considering, now they can walk into just about any dealership and find one that affords the best overall protection in serious crashes.”

“Hyundai remains committed to the implementation of advanced safety technologies, such as electronic active head restraints, introduced on the 2009 Hyundai Genesis,” said Michael Deitz, manager of product development, Hyundai Motor America. “We’re pleased that three of our models are Top Safety Picks again this year.”

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 790 dealerships nationwide.