The mid-year headlight upgrade for the 2027 Kia Telluride demonstrates the significant influence of IIHS criteria on original equipment manufacturer (OEM) production decisions. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the Telluride and the Tesla Model Y the Top Safety Pick+ designation, recognizing their safety performance. However, the Kia’s award is conditional, only applicable to models produced after June 2026, post headlight improvements that corrected earlier marginal ratings.
To secure either Top Safety Pick award, vehicles must achieve high ratings in several crash tests and maintain good or better headlight performance across all trims. The Top Safety Pick+ further requires excellent pedestrian front crash prevention scores and acceptable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) front crash prevention outcomes.
The 2027 Telluride achieved equivalent ratings to the Model Y, yet earlier models with inferior headlights were disqualified for the award. Among the other five vehicles evaluated, the 2026 BMW i4 performed the worst, with poor V2V scores and marginal headlights, alongside similar issues in the GMC Canyon and other models that didn’t meet the standard in certain areas.
For more details, visit the IIHS website.
