2011 Sonata awarded for its safety

If, in the past, the road seemed like a red carpet as you drove a Hyundai Sonata, perhaps you wouldn’t find it a stretch to call the Sonata “The Helen Mirren of the Auto Industry.”  To cite a few of its industry and peer recognitions, the Sonata has been named the “Best Deal For Small Families,” has won a “Driver’s Choice Award” for best family sedan, and can even display on its dashboard or mantel an “Interior of the Year” prize.  Even Helen Mirren isn’t that diversified.     

But while these awards are unquestionably prestigious, only recently did the Sonata win what might be the most important distinction of its storied existence: the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named the 2011 Sonata a Top Safety Pick.

What makes the award all the more significant is that the IIHS has even toughened its standards, thereby eliminating many of the vehicles that had previously qualified as Top Picks.  To qualify for the IIHS award, a vehicle must earn a Good rating in the four most common types of crashes (front, side, rear, and rollover) and the vehicle must be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC), which comes standard on every Sonata.  To toughen the testing standards, the IIHS increased the roof-strength test so that it is now twice as demanding as the federal requirement.  In addition to this, all Sonata models sold in the U.S. are equipped with 6 airbags, 3 point seatbelts, Electronic-Brake-force Distribution, and a host of other safety features.

It’s safe to assert by this point, if it wasn’t already, that safety is foremost in the minds of many car buyers as the reports about a certain Japanese automaker keep coming in—perhaps the road that was once simply an inviting red carpet now feels overcome by a hazardous swarm of paparazzi as you drive a new or used Hyundai Sonata. Bloomington is just one obstacle-filled road trip away from Hollywood.

But the Sonata, as a Top Safety Pick, has you covered, and the timing of the Sonata’s award couldn’t be any more reassuring for consumers with these real concerns about the road.  And so the road should feel wide open to the driver of a Sonata or even, say, a subcompact model with similar safety features like a new or used Hyundai Accent. Bloomington and Normal drivers can find both at their local Hyundai dealer Extreme Hyundai.