The 2018 Kia Optima, a midsize car, qualified for the highest award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ("IIHS") after it was modified to achieve good protection in passenger-side small overlap front crashes.
The Optima, which previously earned the 2018 Top Safety Pick award, qualified for Top Safety Pick+ when equipped with optional front crash prevention and good-rated headlights. The new award applies to Optimas built after January, the IIHS said in a statement.
To qualify for the 2018 Top Safety Pic+ award, vehicles must earn a good rating in the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests; an acceptable or good rating in the passenger-side small overlap test; an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention; and a good headlight rating.
The Optima is built on the same platform as the Hyundai Sonata, whose good passenger-side small overlap rating applies to all 2016-18 models. Until recently, however, the Optima differed on the passenger side. Beginning with models built after January, the Optima's passenger-side door sill, lower door-hinge pillar, and toepan were reinforced to improve occupant protection in small overlap crashes. The IIHS said that it had verified that the car's passenger-side structure now was functionally identical to the Sonata's, so the Sonata's passenger-side rating applied to the Optima.
The Optima's optional front crash prevention system earned a superior rating. In IIHS track tests at 12 mph and 25 mph, the vehicle avoided collisions. The system's forward collision warning component met National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria.
The Optima's optional LED headlights earned a good rating when the car also was equipped with high-beam assist, a feature that automatically switches between high beams and low beams depending on the presence of other vehicles. Without that feature, the LED headlights rated acceptable. The standard halogen lights earned a poor rating.