2007 Hyundai Entourage Earns Award (CarzUnlimited)

The Hyundai Entourage
has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety^s (IIHS) highest
honor -- the gold "TOP SAFETY PICK" award -- the best rating ever for a
minivan in a recent evaluation by the Institute. Entourage is also the
first Hyundai to receive a gold award for good crashworthiness ratings.
    "We are thrilled that Entourage is the gold standard for safety among
minivans," said John Krafcik, Hyundai^s vice-president of product
development and strategic planning. "This award demonstrates our growing
leadership in occupant protection, and complements our industry-leading
position in the standard application of the industry^s most effective
life-saving technologies, such as Electronic Stability Control."
    The Entourage achieved this award by receiving a "good" rating for
front, side and rear crash protection.
    STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES
    The all-new 2007 Entourage continues Hyundai^s leadership in
standardizing the industry^s most effective safety technologies. The new
Entourage features six standard airbags, including side air curtains for
all three rows of seats and Electronic Stability Control. Head- and
torso-protecting side impact protection and active driver aids such as ESC
have been proven to be extremely effective in reducing fatalities on the
nation^s roads:
    * Head-and Torso-Protecting Side Air Bags: The (IIHS) reports a
       45 percent fatality reduction among drivers involved in driver-side
       collisions when protected by a combination of torso-protecting side air
       bags and head-protecting side air curtains(1).

    * ESC: The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
       reports a 35 percent reduction in single vehicle crashes for passenger
       cars, and a 30 percent reduction in fatal single vehicle crashes in
       cars equipped with this technology. For SUVs, the numbers are even
       higher, with a 67 percent reduction in single vehicle crashes for SUVs
       and a 63 percent reduction in fatalities(2).
    ESC compares the driver^s intended course with the vehicle^s actual
response. ESC then brakes individual front or rear wheels and/or reduces
engine power as needed in certain driving circumstances to help correct
understeer or oversteer. Entourage joins Santa Fe, Tucson, Sonata and Azera
in Hyundai^s growing lineup with standard ESC -- a commitment to this
sophisticated and effective automotive safety technology that is unmatched
by any other non-luxury automotive brand. By the end of 2006, vehicles
representing approximately 70 percent of Hyundai^s sales volume will come
equipped with standard ESC, a level unsurpassed by any non-luxury brand.
    Front (11.7-in.) and rear (11.9-in.) disc brakes are standard and are
coupled with a four-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) that includes
Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) to optimize brake performance
even with differing vehicle loading.
    All seating positions feature three-point seatbelts and adjustable head
restraints. Front seat active head restraints help prevent whiplash by
automatically reducing the space between a front occupant^s head and the
head restraint during a rear collision, and are highly recommended by
safety- focused organizations such as IIHS.
    Building a Tradition of Safety Leadership
    Hyundai^s commitment to standardizing key safety features began with
the application of standard side airbag protection across its lineup in
2003 -- making it the first non-luxury brand to achieve this level of
passive safety technology. In 2004, Hyundai introduced the Tucson, the
first under-$20,000 SUV with standard ESC and six standard airbags. And in
the spring of 2005, Hyundai introduced the all-new 2006 Sonata, the
industry^s first and only mid-size sedan with standard ESC and six airbags,
all at a starting price well under $20,000.
    Standardizing the Most Effective Safety Technologies
    The all-new 2006 Azera full-size premium sedan took Hyundai^s safety
package one step further. Azera integrates standard rear seat-mounted side-
impact airbags to the already impressive package found on Sonata and
Tucson, bringing the total number of airbags to eight. It also features
anti-whiplash front active head restraints and ESC.
    The redesigned 2006 Accent set a new benchmark in the entry-level car
category by being the first vehicle in its class with standard ABS and six
airbags.
    Even Hyundai^s sporty Tiburon coupe already comes complete with
standard ABS and seat-mounted side-impact airbags.
    The completely redesigned 2007 Santa Fe SUV, will also lead its segment
in standard safety features including ESC, front seat-mounted side-impact
airbags, side-curtain airbags for all three rows and active front head
restraints, when it goes on sale this summer.
    Hyundai^s all-new 2007 Elantra, just revealed at the New York
International Auto Show, features segment-leading standard safety
technology, including six airbags, 4-wheel disc brakes, active head
restraints and ABS.
    "Other manufacturers have recently introduced all-new products and have
chosen to make side air bags or ABS expensive options, to give the
impression of a low starting price," said John Krafcik, Hyundai^s
vice-president of product development and strategic planning. "Our
customers tell us overwhelmingly that they expect effective safety
technologies to be standard in every car, and we agree. From the premium
Azera full-size car to the entry-level Accent, each new Hyundai model is
equipped to lead its segment in the standard application of the industry^s
most effective safety technologies."
    Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif. is a
subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are
distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are
sold and serviced by more than 700 Hyundai dealerships nationwide.
    (1) Braver, E.R. and Kyrychenko S.Y. 2003. Efficacy of side airbags in
        reducing driver deaths in driver-side collisions.
        Arlington, VA: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

    (2) NHTSA^s Light Vehicle ESC Research Program, June 9, 2005, Dr. W. Riley
        Garrott, Garrick J. Forkenbrock; National Highway Traffic Safety
        Administration Vehicle Research and Test Center