The 2017 Kia Forte has received a Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The compact sedan features structural improvements for the 2017 model year, boosting its performance in the small overlap front crash test. Along with an optional, superior-rated front crash prevention system and available good-rated headlights, the 2017 Kia Forte gets the highest award from IIHS. The Institute also notes that Forte vehicles built after March have beefed-up structure at the door hinge pillar and the door sill, which helped the car earn a good rating in the small overlap front crash test.
In the test of the Kia Forte, the driver’s space was maintained well, with maximum intrusion of three inches at the footrest. The dummy’s movement was well-controlled, and measures from the dummy indicated a low risk of injuries in a crash of this severity.
SEE ALSO: 2017 Kia Forte Sedan Review
Earlier Kia Forte models earned a marginal rating on the small overlap front crash test, with intrusion reaching eight inches at the lower hinge pillar. In addition, in previous models, the dummy’s head contacted the instrument panel, and the side curtain airbag failed to provide sufficient forward coverage.
The Forte’s optional front crash prevention system earns a superior rating, avoiding collisions in IIHS track tests at 12 and 25 mph. Units built after July 2016 equipped with the Premium Plus package on the EX trim line earn a good rating for headlights. Vehicles without the Premium Plus package, as well as those with the package but built before August 2016, have poor-rated headlights.
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