08-21-2008, 07:58 AM
IIHS rates eight small SUVs and crossovers
8-20-8
Source: leftlane news
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released rankings of a number of 2008 and 2009 model-year small SUVs and crossovers yesterday. Four models, the Ford Escape, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Rogue and Volkswagen Tiguan all received ââ¬Åtop safety pickââ¬Â rankings.
The IIHS also says that the Escapeââ¬â¢s twins, the Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute earned the ââ¬Åtop safety pickââ¬Â label despite the fact that only Escapes were used in testing. The top ranking also applies to Hybrid versions of the small SUVs.
All four of the top vehicles featured standard side-impact airbags and electronic stability control. The IIHS ranks cars based on five possible places: Top safety pick, good, average, marginal, poor. Not ranking quite as well were the Suzuki Grand Vitara (good), Jeep Patriot (good with side airbags, marginal without), Chevrolet Equinox/Pontiac Torrent (marginal) and Jeep Wrangler (poor). The IIHS tested the Patriot both with and without the optional seat-mounted side airbags (curtain airbags deploying from the headliner are standard) and, not surprisingly, found that the airbag-equipped model provided for significantly better side-impact protection.
The Wrangler was notable because, according to IIHS President Adrian Lund, ââ¬ÅWeââ¬â¢ve rarely seen a vehicle go in the wrong direction and get a worse rating after it has been redesigned.ââ¬Â
The previous model Jeep Wrangler (1997-2006) scored a marginal in the side impact protection. The redesigned 2008 model scored a poor, the lowest ranking, in the same test. That said, the previous Wrangler did not offer side impact airbags and the new one does - though the model tested was not so equipped.
The top-rated models join the Honda CR-V and Element and the Subaru Forester as ââ¬Åtop safety picksââ¬Â in the small SUV class.
Detailed results are available on the IIHS site.
8-20-8
Source: leftlane news
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released rankings of a number of 2008 and 2009 model-year small SUVs and crossovers yesterday. Four models, the Ford Escape, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Rogue and Volkswagen Tiguan all received ââ¬Åtop safety pickââ¬Â rankings.
The IIHS also says that the Escapeââ¬â¢s twins, the Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute earned the ââ¬Åtop safety pickââ¬Â label despite the fact that only Escapes were used in testing. The top ranking also applies to Hybrid versions of the small SUVs.
All four of the top vehicles featured standard side-impact airbags and electronic stability control. The IIHS ranks cars based on five possible places: Top safety pick, good, average, marginal, poor. Not ranking quite as well were the Suzuki Grand Vitara (good), Jeep Patriot (good with side airbags, marginal without), Chevrolet Equinox/Pontiac Torrent (marginal) and Jeep Wrangler (poor). The IIHS tested the Patriot both with and without the optional seat-mounted side airbags (curtain airbags deploying from the headliner are standard) and, not surprisingly, found that the airbag-equipped model provided for significantly better side-impact protection.
The Wrangler was notable because, according to IIHS President Adrian Lund, ââ¬ÅWeââ¬â¢ve rarely seen a vehicle go in the wrong direction and get a worse rating after it has been redesigned.ââ¬Â
The previous model Jeep Wrangler (1997-2006) scored a marginal in the side impact protection. The redesigned 2008 model scored a poor, the lowest ranking, in the same test. That said, the previous Wrangler did not offer side impact airbags and the new one does - though the model tested was not so equipped.
The top-rated models join the Honda CR-V and Element and the Subaru Forester as ââ¬Åtop safety picksââ¬Â in the small SUV class.
Detailed results are available on the IIHS site.