Crash Safety Ratings | Mid-Size SUVs

When shopping for a new vehicle safety is something that most people are concerned about and factor into their buying decision.  We all want to keep ourselves and our family’s safe, so this may surprise you.  Did you know most midsize SUVs fail tough U.S. crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety?

The IIHS conducts many different crash tests of vehicles sold in the US.  Most of the midsize SUVs did not perform well in a new, small overlap, front end, crash test conducted by a highly respected U.S. safety group.  The small overlap, front end, crash test simulated a partial head on collision between two vehicles.  Statistics show that around 25 percent of all serious accidents and deaths are from small impact, front end collisions.

The good news is that the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain built by General Motors were the only two vehicles to achieve the Highest Rating of “Good” in the new test. The test results were recently released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The IIHS conducted the testing on nine models of SUVs.  Of the nine participating vehicles the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain got the Highest Rating of “Good” and the Toyota Highlander received an “acceptable” rating.  Surprisingly, the other six SUV models only got a “marginal” or “poor” rating in the test results.

The Honda Pilot, made by Honda Motor Corp. was one of the poorest performers tested and this SUV model sustained “significant structural collapse,” according to the IIHS.

The IIHS developed this important crash test to simulate a front crash impact like what would happen if a vehicle clipped the front of an oncoming car or truck or struck an object like a power pole.  The IIHS says this test is” more challenging than the moderate overlap test conducted since 1996”

Hopefully this new crash testing will lead to manufacturers building even safer vehicles for the US market.  For now it is great to know that two American made SUVs; the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain built by General Motors performed the best and are among the safer SUVs available today.  In our state of Indiana Hubler Chevrolet has the largest inventory of Chevrolets.

 

By John Haines

Posted in Industry, Safety and tagged , , , , .