The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has completed crash testing the year's new models, and announced that over 70 machines have won their Top Safety Pick award for 2009. Notably, that's more than twice the number of vehicles as 2008- and more than three times the number of winners as 2007.
Achieving the Top Safety Pick rating means the vehicle in question must come with Electronic Stability Control and get the Institute's top rating of 'good' in all impact tests.
For the first time, this year's winners represent every vehicle class tested, except for 'microcars'. Ford and its Volvo brand have 16 winners, while 13 come from Honda and Acura. The Japanese automaker's new Fit with optional electronic stability control is the first 'minicar' tested by the IIHS to earn a Top Safety Pick Rating.
Additionally, Honda, Acura and Subaru have one Top Safety Pick in every vehicle class they compete in. Volkswagen and Toyota were noted for making significant safety improvements as well.
Chrysler is the only brand to have not won a Top Safety Pick on any vehicle, though it could have won 5 if the head restraints in certain models were improved.
"In order to win, automakers have beefed up the side structures of vehicles and added side airbags to do a better job of protecting people in serious side crashes", said Institute president Adrian Lund. "They're rapidly adding ESC to prevent crashes, and they're designing seats and head restraints that do a better job of protecting against whiplash".
He adds "consumers are the biggest winners. No matter what kind of vehicle buyers may be considering, now they can walk into just about any dealership and find one that affords the best overall protection in serious crashes."
A full list of 2009's Top Safety Picks is available at www.iihs.org.
photo:Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
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Achieving the Top Safety Pick rating means the vehicle in question must come with Electronic Stability Control and get the Institute's top rating of 'good' in all impact tests.
For the first time, this year's winners represent every vehicle class tested, except for 'microcars'. Ford and its Volvo brand have 16 winners, while 13 come from Honda and Acura. The Japanese automaker's new Fit with optional electronic stability control is the first 'minicar' tested by the IIHS to earn a Top Safety Pick Rating.
Additionally, Honda, Acura and Subaru have one Top Safety Pick in every vehicle class they compete in. Volkswagen and Toyota were noted for making significant safety improvements as well.
Chrysler is the only brand to have not won a Top Safety Pick on any vehicle, though it could have won 5 if the head restraints in certain models were improved.
"In order to win, automakers have beefed up the side structures of vehicles and added side airbags to do a better job of protecting people in serious side crashes", said Institute president Adrian Lund. "They're rapidly adding ESC to prevent crashes, and they're designing seats and head restraints that do a better job of protecting against whiplash".
He adds "consumers are the biggest winners. No matter what kind of vehicle buyers may be considering, now they can walk into just about any dealership and find one that affords the best overall protection in serious crashes."
A full list of 2009's Top Safety Picks is available at www.iihs.org.
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photo:Insurance Institute for Highway Safety