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Car safety is one of the most important factors of driving. Although there is still a long way to go, car safety has come a long way in a relatively short time. More specifically, Kia has come a long way in a really short time. Kia just swept the IIHS Safety test gauntlet with eight vehicles landing IIHS Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick +.

Consumer Reports and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded these Kia SUVs
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIIHS) crash test | Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

How safe is a Kia? 

Kia had eight models land the highest safety rating, tying for the second-highest in the industry. According to the Kia media site, the Kia Telluride, Sorento, Seltos, and Carnival, built after March 2021 (with certain headlights), Sportage, and Soul (with an optional safety package) all received TSP awards. The K5 and Kia Stinger earned TSP+ recognition. 

Anyone who’s been paying attention to Kia over the past few years shouldn’t be too surprised by this. Kia has made it clear that safety is a major priority. 

“As the Kia brand makes a momentous shift toward electrification with our next generation of vehicles, passenger safety remains a top priority,” said Sean Yoon, president, and CEO of Kia America, Kia North America. “These eight TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ accolades from IIHS are the direct results of our commitment to delivering the highest standards for crash readiness, structural integrity, and available safety systems for our customers.” 

What is the safest Kia SUV for 2022? 

A silver 2022 Kia Telluride parked outside.
2022 Kia Telluride | Kia

It might be hard to pick, considering Kia had eight models earn top marks. That being said, we can easily start with the Kia Telluride. The Telluride is quite the force. Since its debut in 2019. This Kia SUV completely dominated its field; Hell, Consumer Reports gave it a 97/100 two years running. 

What safety equipment comes with the 2022 Kia Telluride? 

According to Consumer Reports, every 2022 Kia telluride trim comes standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic warning with braking.

Kia also uses something called The Kia UVO Link telematics service. This safety feature provides automatic crash notifications when an airbag is deployed. The only negative safety aspect for the Telluride is that rear-facing car seats can be difficult to install; however, they aren’t unsafe. 

Is the 2022 Kia Sorento a safe SUV? 

Blue 2022 Kia Sorento posed
2022 Kia Sorento | Kia

Another Kia SUV worth mentioning is the 2022 Kia Sorento. Unlike the Telluride, Consumer Reports was not very impressed with the Sorento. However, it still boasts one of the best lists of safety features in the game. 

Consumer Reports says the 2022 Sorento comes well equipped with plenty of standard active safety and driver assistance systems, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. The EX trim and above can even detect cyclists and pedestrians. The Sorento is not only generous with its standard safety tech, but it also employs new technologies to truly prioritize safety