In a press release today, the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety listed its top picks for vehicle safety. No U.S. vehicles made the list of 13 Top Safety Picks, in part because the Institute made electronic stability control (ESC) a requirement this year. Many imports have this important safety feature, but American manufacturers have been slow to adopt the technology.
Here is the list from the Institute:
| WINNERS 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 SedonaLuxury SUVs Mercedes M class Volvo XC90Midsize SUVs Acura RDX Honda Pilot Subaru B9 TribecaSmall SUVs Honda CR-V Subaru Forester equipped with optional electronic stability control |
ALSO-RANS Rear protection isn’t good These vehicles earned good ratings in front and side crash tests. They have electronic stability control, standard or optional. They would have won 2007 TOP SAFETY PICK awards if their seat/head restraints also had earned good ratings. Instead rear crash protection is rated acceptable, marginal, or poor (Honda reports that the seat/head restraints in the only Civic model with electronic stability control wouldn’t be rated 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 RAV4Poor rear protection Honda Accord 4dr Infiniti M35 Nissan Quest Toyota Avalon Toyota Sienna |
