Thirteen SUVs Make "Top Safety Pick" Cuts for IIHS

Thirteen vehicles have earned the title of “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety recently, including four cars, seven first-time SUVs and two minivans. Recognizing vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side and rear crashes according to IIHS testing, the “Top Safety Picks” are also equipped with electronic stability control (ESC).

Rating vehicles as good, acceptable, marginal or poor, IIHS requires three “good” ratings in all three tests, including high-speed front and side crash tests plus seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries in rear impacts. Vehicles eligible to win are current small, midsize, and large car models plus minivans and small and midsize SUVs. Pickups aren't included in this round of awards because the Institute hasn't begun to evaluate their side crashworthiness.

Since last year, criteria has been tightened so that a “good” rating is mandatory in rear testing, whereas an “acceptable” rating was all that was needed last year. Also, ESC was not required in 2006.

"The idea of tightening the criteria for the award is to encourage more vehicle safety improvements," Institute president Adrian Lund said. "Now it's tougher to win, and some of the 2006 winners don't meet the criteria for this year's award because the manufacturers haven't improved the head restraints from acceptable to good or don't offer ESC."

Top Safety Winners

Large Car
Audi A6 (manufactured in Dec. 2006 and later)

Midsize Cars
Audi A4
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy (equipped with optional ESC)

Minivans
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona

Luxury SUVs
Mercedes M Class
Volvo XC80

Midsize SUVs
Acura RDX
Honda Pilot
Subaru B9 Tribeca

Small SUVs
Honda CR-V
Subaru Forester (equipped with optional ESC)

(Source: IIHS)