Ranks of TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners grow as automakers upgrade headlights | News

Arlington, Va., Feb. 24 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is honoring 65 models with the 2022 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, as upgraded headlight offerings take more vehicles to the next level.

Another 36 models take home the lower tier TOP SAFETY PICK award for a total of 101 overall winners. At this time last year, there were 90 winners, including 49 TOP SAFETY CHOICE+ winners.

“We’re excited to see more vehicles on this list in 2022,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “Our rewards make it easy for car buyers to find models that will protect them in the event of an accident and increase the chances that they will never be involved. By aiming for TOP SAFETY PICK+, car manufacturers are showing that they are committed to the same goal.

The Hyundai Motor Group, which includes the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands, has the most 2022 awards overall and the most awards in each category – 11 TOP SAFETY PICK+ and 10 TOP SAFETY PICK awards for a total of 21. The Volkswagen Group, which includes the Volkswagen and Audi brands, is not far behind with eight TOP SAFETY PICK+ and three TOP SAFETY PICK awards. Volvo wins 10 TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards.

Four minivans qualify for the awards this year, up from just two in February last year. This year’s winners are the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Pacifica and Kia Carnival. Four pickup trucks — the Ram 1500 Crew Cab, Ford F-150 Extended and Crew Cab, and Hyundai Santa Cruz — were also on the list. Only the Ram 1500 Crew Cab qualified for an award when the 2021 TOP SAFETY PICK was initially announced.

All 2022 award winners score well in six IIHS crashworthiness tests, including driver-side small front overlap, passenger-side small front overlap, front moderate overlap, factory-side, roof strength and head restraint tests. They’re also available with forward collision-avoidance systems that score advanced or better in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian ratings, as well as at least one headlight system that scores good or fair.

For the 65 TOP SAFETY PICK+ recipients, good or fair headlights are standard on all trims. Although acceptable standard headlights may qualify for the highest price, a total of 31 models come exclusively with good quality headlights.

In addition to improving their headlight offerings this year, manufacturers have made frontal collision avoidance between vehicles and between vehicles and pedestrians standard on more models. Frontal collision prevention scoring advanced or higher in both assessments is standard for all but two TOP SAFETY CHOICE+ winners and 30 of the 36 TOP SAFETY CHOICE winners.

Although frontal collision avoidance doesn’t have to be standard to qualify for either award, automakers have committed to making vehicle-to-vehicle automatic emergency braking standard on almost all light vehicles they produce from September.

The award criteria remain unchanged from last year, but, starting in 2023, the IIHS will add two new assessments to the award requirements.

The updated lateral test that the Institute introduced in 2021 – which is performed at a higher speed and with a heavier movable barrier – will replace the original lateral test in the criteria. A good or fair rating will be required for the BEST SAFE CHOICE, while a good rating will be required for the ‘plus’.

A night collision avoidance test with pedestrians will also be added. For 2023, this new test will not be part of the TOP SAFETY PICK criteria, but vehicles will need to achieve an advanced or higher rating to qualify for the TOP SAFETY PICK+.

Also from 2023, only vehicles with good or acceptable standard headlights in all trims and packages will be eligible for either award.

“Manufacturers are to be commended for the steady improvements they’ve made since our last update to our pricing requirements, but with U.S. road deaths expected to exceed 40,000 in 2021, it Now is not the time for anyone to rest on their laurels,” Harkey said. “One of the main reasons vehicles have continued to get safer in the more than 25 years since the Institute began its assessment program is that we have never been shy about raising the bar. high number of TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners shows it’s time to push for further change.

See below for the full list of winners. For more details on each vehicle, visit iihs.org/ratings.

VNR: Thursday. 2/24/2022, 10:30-11 a.m. ET; repeat 1:30-2:00 PM ET (KU) GALAXY 17 SD 14 transponder/slot 4 (dl11983V) 6 MHz bandwidth; 3.9787 symbol rate 17-lower ¾ HD FEC transponder (dl11971V) 18 MHz bandwidth; symbol rate 13.235 FEC ¾

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing losses – deaths, injuries and property damage – resulting from motor vehicle accidents. The IIHS is fully supported by auto insurers.

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Winners of the 2022 TOP SAFETY PICK+ score well in tests for small driver-side front overlap, small passenger-side front overlap, moderate front overlap, factory side, roof strength, and head restraints. They also have an advanced or higher rating for frontal crash prevention available – in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian ratings – and have an acceptable or good headlight standard.

Small cars

Honda Civic hatchback

Honda Civic sedan

Honda Insight

Mazda 3 hatchback

Mazda 3 sedan

Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Intermediate cars

Honda Accord

Kia K5

Nissan Altima

Nissan Maxima

The Subaru Legacy

Subaru Outback

Toyota Camry

Mid-size luxury cars

Acura TLX

Lexus ES350

Lexus IS

Tesla Model 3

VolvoS60

Volvo S60 Refill

Volvo V60 Cross Country

big cars

Kia Stinger

Large luxury cars

Audi A6

Audi A6 allroad

Audi A7

Genesis G70 built after June 2021

Genesis G80

Genesis G90

Mercedes-Benz E-Class with optional frontal collision prevention

Small SUVs

Chevy Pioneer

Ford Bronco Sports

Hyundai Tucson

Mazda CX-5

Mazda CX-30

Mitsubishi Outlander built after June 2021

Nissan Rogue

Volvo C40 Refill

Volvo XC40

Volvo XC40 Refill

Midsize SUVs

Ford Explorer

Hyundai Palisade

Hyundai Santa Fe built after July 2021

Mazda CX-9

Nissan Murano

Subaru Ascension

Toyota Highlander

Volkswagen ID.4

Mid-Size Luxury SUVs

Acura MDX

Acura RDX

Audi Q5

Audi Q5 Sportback

Cadillac XT6

Genesis GV70

Genesis GV80

Hyundai Nexo

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class with optional frontal collision prevention

Tesla Model Y

Volvo XC60

Volvo XC60 Refill

Volvo XC90

Volvo XC90 Refill

Large SUVs

Audi e-tron

Audi e-tron Sportback

Minivans

Chrysler Pacifica

Honda Odyssey

Toyota Siena

TOP SAFETY PICK winners score high in tests for small driver-side front overlap, small passenger-side front overlap, moderate front overlap, factory side, roof strength, and head restraints. They also have an advanced or better rating for frontal crash prevention available – in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian ratings – and have acceptable or good headlights available, but not standard. Vehicles are only eligible for the prize if equipped with these headlights.

Small cars

Hyundai Elantra

Kia Soul with optional forward collision avoidance

Nissan Sentras

Subaru Crosstrek with optional front collision avoidance

Subaru Impreza hatchback with available front crash prevention

Intermediate car

Hyundai Sonata

Mid-size luxury cars

Audi A4

Audi A5 Sportback

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

BMW 3 series

big cars

Toyota Avalon

Small SUVs

Buick Encore GX

Ford Escape

Honda CR-V

Hyundai Venue

Kia Seltos

Kia Sportage with optional forward collision avoidance

Lexus UX

Lincoln Corsair

Toyota C-HR

Toyota Venza

Midsize SUVs

Ford Edge

Ford Mustang Mach-E

Kia Sorento

Kia Telluride

Mid-Size Luxury SUVs

BMW X5

Lexus RX

Lincoln Aviator

Lincoln Nautilus

Mercedes-Benz GLC with optional front collision prevention

Large SUVs

Audi Q8

Minivans

Kia Carnival built after March 2021

Small microphones

Hyundai Santa Cruz

big mics

Ford F-150 Crew Cab

Ford F-150 extended cab

Ram 1500 Crew Cab with available Front Collision Mitigation

Attachments

2022 TOP SAFETY PICK Award2022 TOP SAFETY+ PICK Award

Joe Young Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 504-641-0491 jyoung@iihs.org