The Hyundai IONIQ 5 is drawing attention after protecting 18-month-old twins in a rear-end collision.
According to Hyundai Motor Company on August 28, a user going by the name Shane Barrett recently shared a personal account of a traffic accident on social media. A pickup truck crashed into the IONIQ 5 at high speed, but all family members in the car suffered only minor scrapes and no serious injuries. In the post, the writer stated, "We were in a major accident, but the IONIQ 5 did its job, keeping my family safe-especially my 18-month-old twins in the back seat."
The photos released with the post show the damaged rear of the IONIQ 5 and the pickup truck involved in the accident. Despite the rear bumper and trunk of the IONIQ 5 being severely crumpled and damaged by the impact, the passenger compartment and the car seat installed in the back seat remained intact.
The IONIQ 5, which uses Hyundai's dedicated electric vehicle platform E-GMP, is designed to intentionally deform its structure during a rear-end collision to absorb impact. At the same time, the underbody is reinforced with high-strength steel to prevent deformation of the cabin, protect the safety zone, and avoid battery damage.
The safety performance of the IONIQ 5 was recognized as best-in-class when it received the "Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+)" rating in crash tests announced by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the US in March.
The safety of Hyundai Motor Group vehicles has been proven in previous incidents where passengers were protected during unexpected accidents. In 2021, golfer Tiger Woods was driving a Genesis GV80, which had been provided as an official vehicle for the Genesis Invitational golf tournament, when he was involved in a rollover accident that left him with leg injuries. Police investigating the scene reported that while the front and bumper of the vehicle were completely destroyed, the interior remained largely undamaged.
In December 2022, it was reported on social media and by local media that a couple driving a Hyundai Avante N survived a 91-meter fall into a canyon in the US without serious injury. In May of the same year, Czech ice hockey player Jaromir Jagr was involved in an accident when his EV6 collided with a tram while driving, but he walked away from the vehicle with only a minor injury to one hand, surprising those nearby.