Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Elantra Hybrid Limited has standard Reverse Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Forte doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.
The Elantra Hybrid has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Forte’s blind spot costs extra.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra Hybrid has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Kia charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning on the Forte and its not available on the LX.
Both the Elantra Hybrid and the Forte have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available rear parking sensors.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is safer than the Kia Forte:
|
Elantra Hybrid |
Forte |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
142 |
245 |
Neck Injury Risk |
21% |
24.2% |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
66/48 lbs. |
74/132 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
3 Stars |
HIC |
314 |
325 |
Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
1.1 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
42% |
49.1% |
Neck Compression |
6 lbs. |
99 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
135/61 lbs. |
173/101 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is safer than the Kia Forte:
|
Elantra Hybrid |
Forte |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
83 |
153 |
Abdominal Force |
239 lbs. |
282 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Spine Acceleration |
68 G’s |
89 G’s |
Hip Force |
355 lbs. |
735 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
11 inches |
12 inches |
HIC |
184 |
367 |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Sedan is much safer than the Forte:
|
Elantra Hybrid |
Forte |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
POOR |
Structure |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Head Injury Criterion |
189 |
812 |
Head Peak Forces |
no contact |
104 G’s |
Neck Tension |
312 lbs. |
379 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
-134 lbs. |
22 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
POOR |
Shoulder Deflection |
1.1 in |
2.4 in |
Shoulder Force |
424 lbs. |
759 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.26 in |
2.4 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
10 MPH |
13 MPH |
Pelvis |
ACCEPTABLE |
POOR |
Pelvis Force |
1093 lbs. |
1762 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
167 |
398 |
Neck Tension |
112 lbs. |
156 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
-156 lbs. |
134 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
Shoulder Deflection |
1.18 in |
1.85 in |
Shoulder Force |
178 lbs. |
424 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.5 in |
1.81 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
10 MPH |
11 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
558 lbs. |
982 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Elantra Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 67 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Forte last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.