2019 Top Safety Picks
Vehicles that perform best in our evaluations qualify for Top Safety Pick, which has been awarded since the 2006 model year, or Top Safety Pick+, which was inaugurated in 2013.
These awards identify the best vehicle choices for safety within size categories during a given year. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford more protection than smaller, lighter ones. Thus, a small car that qualifies for an award might not protect its occupants as well as a bigger vehicle that doesn't earn the award.
Minicars
Top Safety Pick
2019-20 Hyundai Accent 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Small cars
Top Safety Pick+
2019-20 Hyundai Elantra 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after September 2018
Top Safety Pick
2019-20 Hyundai Elantra GT 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2019 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2019 Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid 4-door hatchback
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after July 2018
Top Safety Pick
2019-20 Hyundai Veloster 2-door hatchback
with specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after August 2018
Midsize cars
Top Safety Pick+
2019 Hyundai Sonata 4-door sedan
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Small SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2019-20 Hyundai Kona 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2019-20 Hyundai Tucson 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights;
applies only to vehicles built after March 2019
Midsize SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2020 Hyundai Palisade 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick+
2019-20 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-door SUV
with specific headlights
Top Safety Pick
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL 4-door SUV
with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights
Midsize luxury SUVs
Top Safety Pick+
2019-20 Hyundai Nexo 4-door SUV
applies only to vehicles built after June 2019
2019 criteria
- G Good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests
- AdvancedSuperior Advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention
- G Good headlight rating
- G Good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength and head restraint tests
- AGAcceptable or good rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test
- AdvancedSuperior Advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention
- AGAcceptable or good headlight rating