Seoul, South Korea – The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, along with the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, has released the results of the 2024 Korea New Car Assessment Program (KNCAP). The annual evaluation, which assesses the safety of vehicles sold in South Korea, revealed that the Kia EV3, Volvo S60, Mercedes-Benz E200, and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid emerged as the safest cars this year.

These four models achieved the highest rating of 1 in all three evaluation categories: collision safety, pedestrian safety, and prevention safety.

The Kia EV3, the only electric vehicle to receive a top rating, scored 53.7 out of 60 points in collision safety, 14.7 out of 20 points in pedestrian safety, and 16.4 out of 20 points in prevention safety, for a total score of 84.9.

The Mercedes-Benz E200 secured the highest overall score of 91.9 points, followed by the Volvo S60 with 84.6 points and the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid with 86.6 points.

Other notable results include the Toyota Prius receiving a 2-star rating, the Mercedes-Benz GLB250 and Hyundai Casper Electric earning 3-star ratings, and the Tesla Model Y and Jeep Wrangler securing 4-star and 5-star ratings, respectively.

The Tesla Model Y, while performing well in collision safety (57.6 points) and pedestrian safety (16.5 points), scored significantly lower in prevention safety (9.9 points).

The Jeep Wrangler received the lowest overall score, with 41.55 points in collision safety, 1.6 points in pedestrian safety, and 7.4 points in prevention safety. This indicates that the Wrangler not only offers poor protection in accidents but also has limited features to prevent collisions.

A First for Battery Safety

This year's evaluation marked a significant milestone as it introduced the world's first assessment of battery management system (BMS) safety features. BMS is a critical component in electric vehicles that manages the charging and discharging of the battery and ensures safe operation. The Kia EV3 and Hyundai Casper Electric received a 2-star rating in this category, while the Tesla Model Y received a 4-star rating.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to continue expanding the evaluation criteria to address public concerns about vehicle safety. By doing so, the government aims to encourage automakers to prioritize safety in their vehicle development and production.