SUVs are getting safer

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) regularly updates its assessment criteria for overall vehicle safety tests, and one of the latest additions is the side crash test. beside. This new test is designed to address high-speed crashes that result in serious injury and death.

The IIHS recently released these test results with its 2022 midsize SUVs, and while there have been significant improvements overall, there are some disappointments.

When the IIHS announced the introduction of more stringent lateral crash tests last October, only one out of twenty SUVs tested achieved a good rating, while the rest received a good rating. least. For now, however, ten of the 18 midsize models have earned good ratings.

Those ten are the Lincoln Aviator, Subaru Ascent, Ford Explorer, Infiniti QX60, Toyota Highlander, Nissan Pathfinder, Mazda CX-9, Volkswagen Atlas, Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and the only electric vehicle tested, the Volkswagen ID.4. The Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave earned acceptable ratings, while the Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Jeep Wrangler, Honda Passport, Honda Pilot and Nissan Murano scored low.

This comes as a surprise to some manufacturers, especially Kia and Hyundai, midsize SUVs, with the Telluride and Palisade always seen as representing safety.

Safety is more of an issue than ever as the United States faces its worst road accident death rate in 16 years. The IIHS says that drivers of cars with good safety ratings are 70 percent less likely to die in a left-hand crash. According to statistics, side collisions still account for 23% of car occupant deaths in 2020.

New trial highlights risk of serious pelvic injury. Cars like the Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, Highlander, Pathfinder and QX60 received good test ratings, but still showed a moderate risk of pelvic injury. The Palisade, Telluride and Murano all showed a high likelihood of passengers sustaining serious injuries. Overall, the Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen ID.4 perform the best in this regard.

“It is encouraging to see so many midsize SUVs from different automakers earn good ratings in this tough assessment,” said IIHS senior research engineer Becky Mueller. .