Seoul: Hyundai Motor Group announced on Monday that it has achieved the highest number of awards among global automotive groups for the second year in a row in the annual crash safety evaluation conducted by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

According to Yonhap News Agency, a total of seven Hyundai models, five Genesis models, and three Kia models received Top Safety Pick (TSP) or higher ratings this year. In comparison, Mazda received awards for eight models, while Honda secured awards for seven.

In the previous year, Hyundai Motor Group led the global rankings with 22 models earning TSP or TSP+ honors, which included nine Hyundai, eight Genesis, and five Kia models. Following Hyundai were Toyota and Honda, with 19 and 11 models, respectively.

The IIHS awards the TSP+ status to vehicles that exhibit superior safety performance in a variety of crash evaluations. The TSP rating is granted to models that perform well across standard safety metrics.

Hyundai Motor Group emphasized that the recent recognition showcases its capability to meet the newly strengthened IIHS evaluation criteria, including enhanced standards for rear seat passenger safety introduced this year.

"We are proud that so many of our vehicles performed well in the increasingly stringent IIHS crash tests," a group official stated. "We will continue to deliver vehicles that offer world-class safety and quality through advanced research, design, and engineering."