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November 30, 2006
IIHS RELEASES NEW AUTO RATINGS
IIHS has released crash tests and evaluation results for 13 vehicles that have earned its “top safety pick” awards for the 2007 model year.
“Winners include 4 cars, 7 SUVs, and 2 minivans. This award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute tests. Winners also have to be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC). Vehicles eligible to win are current small, midsize, and large car models plus minivans and small and midsize SUVs,” the group said.
The Institute rates vehicles good, acceptable, marginal, or poor based on performance in high-speed front and side crash tests plus evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries in rear impacts. The first requirement for a vehicle to become a top safety pick is to earn good ratings in all three Institute tests.
No small cars won this year's award. The four-door Honda Civic won last year, but most 2007 Civics don't have ESC, which is a new IIHS requirement for “top pick” winners. Those that do don't have seat/head restraints rated good for rear crash protection. The Institute cautions that the ratings do not mean that smaller cars which win a “top pick” rank are necessarily safer than larger cars that do not. Larger, heavier vehicles are generally safer for their occupants in crashes, although they do more harm to the occupants of smaller, lighter vehicles in two-car crashes.
Here are the Institute’s “top pick” choices:
Large car: Audi A6 manufactured in Dec. 2006 and later
Midsize cars: Audi A4, Saab 9-3, Subaru Legacy equipped with optional electronic stability control
Minivans: Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona
Luxury SUVs: Mercedes M class, Volvo XC90
Midsize SUVs: Acura RDX, Honda Pilot, Subaru B9, Tribeca
Small SUVs: Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester equipped with optional electronic stability control
IIHS also listed what it calls “also-rans,” in which “rear protection was rated less than good” but other performance was “good”:
Acceptable rear protection: Audi A3, BMW 3-series 4dr, Lexus IS 250/350
Marginal rear protection: Acura TL, Honda Odyssey, Lexus ES 350, Lexus GS 350, Toyota Camry, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Toyota Prius, Toyota RAV4
Poor rear protection: Honda Accord 4dr, Infiniti M35, Nissan Quest, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Sienna
Posted by MVHAP at November 30, 2006 07:36 PM