For 2010, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced a far more stringent standard for awarding its coveted Top Safety pick – and a number of the best-selling cars in America, like the Ford Fusion, Honda Accord and the entire Toyota lineup, no longer qualify.
IIHS selected 27 cars in five categories for the 2010 award, down significantly from the 94 vehicles to win last year thanks to the heightened roof strength test standards. The only manufacturer with a full line-wide showing for 2010 was Subaru, which took home an award for each model it offers, aside from the WRX STi.
“With the addition of our new roof strength evaluation, our crash test results now cover all four of the most common kinds of crashes,” said IIHS president Adrian Lund in a statement. “Consumers can use this list to zero in on the vehicles that are on the top rung for safety.”
The awards required top performances in the frontal, side, rear and rollover evaluations. IIHS says that the Fusion and Accord would require some minor roof modifications, while the Camry would need head restraints that better protected against whiplash in a rear impact collision.
The new roof collision standards push a metal plate against one side of the roof at a constant speed. A good rating means that the roof withstood four times the vehicle’s weight without crushing more than five inches.
IIHS says that some manufacturers, most notably Chrysler, improved head restraints for the new model year and now are able to take home Top Safety Pick awards. Chrysler’s Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Journey and Jeep Patriot models all won awards.
It’s worth noting that some of last year’s winners have not been tested for the rollover standard. Most notably, the Acura RL, TL and TSX, Audi A4 and A6, BMW 3-Series, Cadillac CTS, Hyundai Genesis, Saab 9-3, Toyota Avalon and Prius, as well as a wide range of midsize SUVs and small sedans, have yet to be tested.
Award winners
Large cars
Buick LaCrosse
Ford Taurus
Lincoln MKS
Volvo S80
Midsize cars
Audi A3
Chevrolet Malibu (built after October 2009)
Chrysler Sebring sedan (with optional electronic stability control)
Dodge Avenger (with optional electronic stability control)
Mercedes C-Class
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Volkswagen Jetta sedan
Volkswagen Passat sedan
Volvo C30
Small cars
Honda Civic sedan (except Si) (with optional electronic stability control)
Kia Soul
Nissan Cube
Subaru Impreza (except WRX)
Volkswagen Golf four-door
Midsize SUVs
Dodge Journey
Subaru Tribeca
Volvo XC60
Volvo XC90
Small SUVs
Honda Element
Jeep Patriot (with optional side torso airbags)
Subaru Forester
Volkswagen Tiguan
11/18, 9:07 AM
posted by:
andy
so why would the IIHS even release this until they are done testing… i bet ever news papers auto section will release this and people will jump and think the cars/ manufacturers yet to be tested aren’t safe when compared to the competition
11/18, 9:25 AM
posted by:
arena
^I second that. This is extremely irrisponsible, and leads me to believe that this organization really doesn’t want the public to know which cars are and aren’t truly safe.
11/18, 10:20 AM
posted by:
idrinorbarsaku
seems weird how they didn’t test those cars…aside from the avalon, I think those would rank just as good! My passat is up there, so I’m happy:)
11/18, 10:24 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
So what do they go after next when everyone catches on to this roof strength deal and passes it? Alien attacks? Solar flare protection? Fat people leaning on your hood? Greasy steering wheels from fast food burgers?
11/18, 10:31 AM
posted by:
leftwingagenda
it’s irresponsible to let you know what cars they think are safe, even though they’re not done testing every car available today? how DARE they make you wait to find out the test results of cars you most likely have no intention of buying soon…
11/18, 10:36 AM
posted by:
RaineMan
How many cars are really involved in roll-over accidents every year?
SUVs I can definitely see needing higher roof strength b/c of their high center of gravity… but a car?
11/18, 10:51 AM
posted by:
03T4R
It’s easy to flip a car going highway speeds. All it takes is a nudge in the rear and it can send you rolling down the road and backing up traffic for hours….
11/18, 10:51 AM
posted by:
carstuff
BIG discussion going on in the safety world on how this test is causing more accidents due the the A pillars getting so much bigger.
They used to be about 4″ x 5″ and now you can see them as big as 4″ x 10″.
That leaves a huge blindspot when you are at an intersection stop sign and watching for traffic.
11/18, 11:32 AM
posted by:
JakeK66
Volvo S80 FTW!
11/18, 11:35 AM
posted by:
Zesty Honda
@ carstuff; That’s why nice cars have lane departure and collision warning systems. Like the Volvo has!
11/18, 2:18 PM
posted by:
DrFill
Quite a list of ugly cars
She may be ugly
But she’s good for somethin’!
DrFill
11/18, 2:26 PM
posted by:
carstuff
Zesty, I do not know how those would help. When you take off from a corner quickly getting T boned by the cross traffic is not going to be stopped by either tech.
11/18, 5:02 PM
posted by:
orangecones
@carstuff….you are on the money my friend. I am particularly picky about fat/get-in-your-way A-pillars on cars, and it seems like every year there are fewer and fewer cars that meet my demands for forward visibility. I guess thats what you get when you want a stronger roof.
11/18, 7:51 PM
posted by:
03T4R
I’m surprised to see Subaru on there, their cars don’t seem so solidly built. Their doors are quite thin and light compared to others I’ve driven.
11/18, 11:55 PM
posted by:
barchetta
VW Golf a small car? It’s the same car as the A3 and Jetta!
11/19, 12:49 AM
posted by:
orangecones
@03T4R…. I disagree. Sure Subarus don’t quite have the same satisfying thump as you get in a Lexus, but the doors I’ve tried feel very solid compared to the “rest of them”…non-lux brands.
11/19, 8:27 AM
posted by:
daiso
no toyota.
no lexus.