Honda Pilot and Acura MDX Are Only Midsize SUVs To Achieve All-Around Five Star Safety in NHTSA Front and Side Impact Tests
The all-new 2003 Honda Pilot and 2002 Acura MDX are the first midsize sport utility vehicles ever to earn the Federal government's top Five Star safety rating for the driver, front passenger and rear seat passengers in both front- and side-impact crash tests, according to information released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The family-oriented Pilot and luxury performance MDX join the compact 2003 Honda CR-V (tested in 2002) as the only SUVs available that achieve Five Star NHTSA front- and side-impact ratings in all crash tests.
"Achieving the highest possible all-around NHTSA test ratings for Pilot and MDX further demonstrates our commitment to safety," said Dick Colliver, American Honda executive vice president. "The Pilot and MDX are the latest products to showcase the company's world-class safety technology."
The front- and side-impact crash tests are part of NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that provides consumers with safety information on the two most common injury-causing crashes.
In frontal tests, vehicles are crashed at 35 mph into a rigid, fixed barrier. The side crash is conducted with a moving, deformable barrier impacting the vehicle at 38.5 mph. Vehicles are given a rating from one to five stars, with five stars indicating the best level of crash protection.
The all-new 2003 Honda Pilot and 2002 Acura MDX are the first midsize sport utility vehicles ever to earn the Federal government's top Five Star safety rating for the driver, front passenger and rear seat passengers in both front- and side-impact crash tests, according to information released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The family-oriented Pilot and luxury performance MDX join the compact 2003 Honda CR-V (tested in 2002) as the only SUVs available that achieve Five Star NHTSA front- and side-impact ratings in all crash tests.
"Achieving the highest possible all-around NHTSA test ratings for Pilot and MDX further demonstrates our commitment to safety," said Dick Colliver, American Honda executive vice president. "The Pilot and MDX are the latest products to showcase the company's world-class safety technology." The front- and side-impact crash tests are part of NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that provides consumers with safety information on the two most common injury-causing crashes.
In frontal tests, vehicles are crashed at 35 mph into a rigid, fixed barrier. The side crash is conducted with a moving, deformable barrier impacting the vehicle at 38.5 mph. Vehicles are given a rating from one to five stars, with five stars indicating the best level of crash protection.