IIHS Selects Safest 2008 Cars

Anthony Fontanelle
November 28, 2007

Are you getting some good news these past few days? Well, here’s one: The number of cars deemed the 'safest' nearly triples for 2008, said Forbes.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's annual list of the safest cars for the 2008 model year, the leading automakers include Ford Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. Overall, 34 vehicles received the top safety pick designation for 2008, compared with 13 vehicles from the 2007 model year, which is evidence of automakers' push to make certain safety equipment more widely available, the report said.

IIHS requires new cars and trucks to have ESC or electronic stability control to qualify for the award. Many automakers are putting this anti-rollover technology into their fleets ahead of a government requirement for the systems by the 2012 model year.

The ESC senses when a driver may lose control of the vehicle and automatically applies brakes to individual wheels to help keep it stable and preclude a rollover. The technology helps drivers avoid skidding across icy or slick roads and keep control of their car when swerving to steer clear of an unexpected object in the road.

'Vehicles should be designed to provide good occupant protection when crashes occur, but now with ESC we have the possibility of preventing many crashes altogether,' said Adrian Lund, the institute's president. Lund cited studies that have estimated that as many as 10,000 fatal crashes could be avoided annually if all vehicles had the ESC.

The Dearborn-based automaker was represented on the list by the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable passenger cars with the optional ESC feature, and the Ford Edge, Ford Taurus X, and Lincoln MKX midsize SUVs. The Volvo S80, C70 midsize convertible, and the XC90 SUV, part of the automaker’s Volvo unit, also made the list. Ford was earlier quoted as saying that it will put stability control on its entire lineup by the end of 2009.

Honda and its Acura division had seven vehicles on the list. The remarkable vehicles include the Honda Accord, CR-V, Element, Odyssey and Pilot. The maker of Acura air filters had the MDX and RDX SUVs on the list. Honda has had stability control on all SUVs, pickups, and minivans since the 2007 model year, and the technology is now standard on the Accord.

Subaru and Hyundai placed four vehicles on the list. Subaru had the Legacy and Impreza with optional ESC, and the Tribeca and Forester with ESC. Hyundai, on the other hand, had the Entourage, and also the Santa Fe and Veracruz manufactured after August 2007. Kia, a subsidiary of Hyundai, had the Sedona minivan.

Bill Kwong, Toyota spokesman, said that its 2008 vehicles have active headrests, which move closer to the backs of motorists' heads in rear-end crashes. Kwong said that it provides a 'great level of safety for the customer in the real world.' A Volkswagen spokesman did not respond to a message asking for comment.

The Toyota Tundra pickup, which has standard stability control and side air bags, was the first pickup truck to receive the IIHS designation. The Japanese automaker also had the Highlander SUV on the list. Volkswagen's Audi subsidiary, meanwhile, was represented by the A3, A4, and A6 passenger cars.

The institute said Toyota could have had ten more vehicles on the list and VW could have added four had they improved seat and head restraint designs, important in protecting against whiplash injuries in rear-end crashes.

The Saab 9-3, BMW X3 and X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, and the Saturn Vue built after December 2007, completed the institute’s list of safe vehicles.

IIHS said that the awards help consumers compare vehicles without having to review results from multiple tests.

Source:  Amazines.com