The agency's upgraded ratings system will now evaluate side pole crash testing and crash prevention-technologies. And, for the first time, it will use female crash test dummies to simulate crash scenarios involving women, not just men.
Sonata comes standard with six airbags—including dual front, front seat-mounted side-impact, and front and rear side curtain airbags—along with active front-seat head restraints.
The vehicle’s braking system includes four-wheel disc brakes and an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) including Brake Assist, as well as Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD).
Other safety features include shingle-style rear-seat head restraints for improved visibility, three-point seatbelts for all seating positions, front-seat seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters, and a rear-seat Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system for child seats.
"The Sonata nameplate has historically raised the bar for safety in the mid-size sedan category, dating back to the introduction of standard Electronic Stability Control on the 2006 Sonata," said John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. "The 2011 Sonata furthers our commitment to safety with a suite of equipment and third-party test results that are unsurpassed in the category."
NHTSA also added an Overall Vehicle Score for each vehicle tested. The 2011 Sonata scored well in all phases of the testing including five-star side-impact, five-star rollover and four-star frontal crash test, resulting in an overall five-star performance.
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