Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute Siblings Receive Good Side Impact Rating Too
Have you ever asked yourself the question, "What matters most in life?" If you've just survived a motor vehicle accident the answer might simply be life itself.
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| When buying a new car, sometimes safety features are overlooked when compared to flashy luxury features. (Photo: Subaru) |
Of course, most of us haven't had our priorities shaken up so dramatically. When buying a new car, rather than opting for ABS brakes and side impact airbags, if not already standard or for that matter even offered, we just can't live without that fancy wheel and tire upgrade or awesome sounding premium audio system. While such features can enhance the quality of life, it might be wise to spend your money on the very components that could save your life.
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| The Ford Escape, Subaru Forester, and Mazda Tribute are the only compact SUVs to receive a 'good' side impact rating by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. (Photo: Ford Motor Company) |
Of the myriad of compact sport utility vehicles currently on the market, only three have been given a 'good' side impact rating by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. While many would expect Toyota and Honda nameplates to be among the three in question, the safest compact SUVs for side crashes are the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute siblings (with one important caveat), plus the Subaru Forester.
What makes them so special? Side impact airbags, standard on the Subaru and optional on the Ford and Mazda SUVs (the caveat), make all the difference. Proof of this is that Escape and Tribute sport 'utes with no side airbags were given a 'poor' rating in IIHS side impact testing.