The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded the 2018 Hyundai Elantra with their highest safety honor. The affordable family sedan has been named a Top Safety Pick+, meaning it is about as safe as cars get in this class. This is a huge feather in Elantra’s cap, considering its price range. 

Mind you, the Top Safety Pick+ is awarded to 2018 Hyundai Elantra only when it’s equipped with optional Automatic Emergency Braking and High Beam Assist. So keep that in mind when you are checking boxes on the specs sheet. You also want a model built after December 2017, since that was what IIHS tested and names a top safety pick.

At any rate, the 2018 Hyundai Elantra joins a total of eight models by Hyundai having the Top Safety Pick+ rating. The wide range of safety features that enables the Elantra to be so safe include such items as Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist System, Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-traffic Alert and Lane Change Assist, and a rearview camera, now with dynamic guidance. Again, be careful with the trim and options you choose so that you get the important stuff.

About IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ Rating:

To qualify for the Top Safety Pick award, vehicles must have good ratings in five IIHS crashworthiness tests — small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints, an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention and an acceptable or good headlight rating. For the Top Safety Pick+ designation, vehicles must also gain an acceptable or good rating in passenger-side small overlap front tests and improved headlight rating. Features which helped these vehicles garner these recognitions included (but were not limited to) optional front-crash prevention, specific headlights and excellent performances in IIHS track tests at various speeds.