IIHS Ranks Vehicles with Front-crash Prevention Technology
Michelle J. Lee
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety just released its report of the top midsize vehicles with the best scores for preventing front-end collisions. That sounded a bit convoluted, so let’s back up a bit.
Basically, the IIHS tested a bunch of midsize cars that have technology that is supposed to help prevent front crashes– this usually comes in the form of forward collision warnings or automatic brakes. They tested car models that included either crash prevention technology as a standard or optional feature. Models were given a rating of “superior,” “advanced,” or “basic.”
Photo courtesy of the IIHSHere’s an excerpt from their report:
Six models earn an advanced rating when equipped with autobrake and forward collision warning. These include the 2014 Acura MDX SUV, Audi A4 sedan and Q5 SUV, 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV, Lexus ES sedan and the 2014 Mazda 6 sedan.
The details of the ratings (including point systems) is explained in the official IIHS report.
This is the first test and ranking of this kind and is a great resource for those shopping for new cars, looking for a possible discount from their insurer for safey features or for those who simply like to stay afloat in the latest auto news. The industry is hoping that tests like this will encourage automakers to make these hi-tech options a standard part of manufacturing for automakers.
