2017 Kia Cadenza Crashes Its Way To Top Safety Pick+ Award

7 years, 7 months ago - 28 April 2017, motor1

The model's headlights are barely good enough to get the safety accolade from IIHS.

The updated 2017 Kia Cadenza has scored a Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its great crash test results and accident prevention system.

The Cadenza aced all of IIHS' crash tests, including the difficult small overlap front evaluation. In this accident, the sedan maintained the driver's space well. The airbags and seat belts did their job of controlling the dummy's movement, and the sensors "showed a low risk of significant injuries," according to the IIHS report.

The Cadenza's optional front crash prevention system scored the maximum Superior rating. It was able to successfully avoid collisions from 25 miles per hour and from 12 miles per hour. The forward collision warning also meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria.

The updated sedan's headlights were its weakest point in the IIHS evaluation. The base Premium trim level's halogen lights showed the low beams were inadequate on both sides of the road for all of the evaluations. The high beams had good visibility of the right side of the road in a straight line but weren't good enough in all other checks.

LED lights come standard on the Limited and Technology trims, and they perform a little better by earning an Acceptable rating. The low beams score Good on the left side of the road and Fair on the right side. On curves, there's Good visibility in all of the checks. Similarly, the high beams are Good on the right side of the road but weaker on the left. "On curves, visibility was good on the gradual left and both right curves and fair on the sharp left curve," the IIHS' report said.

Currently, IIHS requires a vehicle to score the top Good rating in five crash tests. Plus, a model must be available with a front crash prevention system that rates Advanced or Superior. Finally, the institute now requires the headlights to earn an overall Good or Acceptable grade.