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Roundup of 2016 Hyundai Awards Recognize Superior Safety & Value

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The beginning of the year is an exciting time for gearheads, not just because of auto show season being in full swing, but also because of the awards being handed out to automakers left and right. This is when the best of the best are recognized in the auto market, and it’s the perfect time to be excited about your favorite brands.

One automaker that continues to impress year after year is Hyundai Motor Co., and this award season is no exception. The Korean automaker has garnered an armful of awards for its vehicles’ safety, value, and overall superiority.

Vehicle Index Manufacturer & Vehicle Reliability

Proving itself a leader in vehicle dependability, Hyundai earned the top spot in CarMD’s Vehicle Index Manufacturer & Vehicle Reliability Rankings. The brand’s vehicles have proven to be more dependable and affordable than any of its competitors.

Cost to Own

A highly-respected expert in the automotive awards field, Kelley Blue Book annually recognizes the value of models and brands in its 5-Year Cost to Own Awards by using data for new cars in their initial five-year ownership period. This year, Hyundai earned the number one ranking among mainstream brands for its low projected ownership costs. This means Hyundai vehicles have a fair purchase price, good fuel economy, and low maintenance costs.

Best Buy

Every year, Consumer Guide Automotive distributes “Best Buy” awards to vehicles that prove their value in price, features, performance, accommodations, fuel economy, reliability, and resale. This year, 39 Best Buy awards were bestowed in 20 different categories. The 2016 Hyundai Genesis earned “Best Buy” status in the large car category and the 2016 Santa Fe/Santa Fe Sport in the midsize crossover/SUV segment.

Best for the Money

US News & World Report is practically an expert on everything, so you can trust that it knows what it’s talking about when it comes to cars. That’s why the source’s annual Best for the Money awards are highly respected in the market. The 2016 Hyundai Tucson was recognized this year as the Best Compact SUV, being recognized for its “convenience and safety, all at an outstanding value.” The results are calculated on ownership cost, safety, reliability, and opinions of industry experts.

IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Hyundai is known for its practical, safe vehicles, and the automaker is recognized every year for its ongoing innovations in automotive dependability. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS’s) Top Safety Pick+ designation is difficult to earn, but multiple Hyundai vehicles proved their strength: the 2016 Tucson, the 2016 Sonata, and the 2016 Genesis. All three showed the highest level of crash protection.

Top Vehicle Pick

“The 2016 Tucson represents a massive step forward for Hyundai in the small SUV category,” said Jim Prueter, automotive journalist for AAA—which handed out its Top Vehicle Picks for 2016 recently. Included in this year’s honorees was Hyundai’s Tucson.

Best New Car Awards

Beginning this year, Good Housekeeping with Car and Driver have begun recognizing the best new cars entering the market. After rigorously testing 160 vehicles for performance, features, usability, storage, design, and value, judges awarded the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Limited in the “eco” category.

10 Best Engines

If you make it on Ward’s 10 Best Engines List, everyone knows you’re a powertrain to be reckoned with. This time around, the 2016 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle became the first PHEV to earn a spot on the list. “For Hyundai’s first entry into the plug-in hybrid segment, Hyundai engineers did an impeccable job blending fuel efficiency with refinement and daily usability,” said Drew Winter, editor-in-chief, WardsAuto World magazine.

Drivers’ Choice Awards

Hyundai vehicles aren’t just practical and functional—they’re also a joy to behind the wheel. MotorWeek, which has been recognizing top vehicles since 1983, awarded the 2016 Hyundai Tucson with the Driver’s Choice Award for “Best Small Utility.” The results consider performance, price, fuel efficiency, and functionality.

Ad Meter Award

Great vehicles aren’t the only thing Hyundai has been recognized for. The brand was the first automaker to win USA Today’s Ad Meter Award for having the top-rated commercial during Super Bowl 50. The winning video, “First Date,” stars Kevin Hart and advertises the ’16 Genesis. It beat out 63 other commercials for the top rank.