If you are considering buying a new car, you’re probably considering a number of attributes: cost, gas mileage, passenger capacity, and (let’s be honest) style and color. Does a car’s safety rating figure into your equation?
According to U.S. News & World Report, 40 new and redesigned cars, trucks, and SUVs have come out for 2013. Which ones are the safest?
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Picks
For 2013 car models, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) created a new category for vehicles that have superior crash protection: TOP SAFETY PICK+. The 13 new cars that received this honor each earned good or acceptable ratings in IIHS’s new “small overlap test,” as well as high ratings in other areas.
IIHS rates vehicles good, acceptable, marginal, or poor based on their performance in the following tests:
- moderate overlap frontal crash;
- small overlap frontal crash;
- side impact;
- rollover; and
- seat and head restraint protection against neck injuries in rear impacts.
The following cars earned the TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating:
- Acura TL (a midsize luxury car);
- Dodge Avenger;
- Chrysler 200 4-door;
- Ford Fusion (built after December 2012);
- Honda Accord 2-door;
- Honda Accord 4-door;
- Kia Optima;
- Nissan Altima 4-door (built after November 2012);
- Subaru Legacy (built after August 2012);
- Subaru Outback (built after August 2012);
- Suzuki Kizashi;
- Volkswagen Passat (built after October 2012); and
- Volvo S60 (a midsize luxury car).
Except where indicated, the models are midsize, moderately priced cars.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Picks
Although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not completed its crash testing of 2013 vehicles, ratings are in for a select few.
- The new Hyundai Elantra GT hatchback earned 5 out of 5 stars overall, 5 stars in side-crash tests, and 4 stars in front-crash tests and rollover risk.
- BMW’s 3 Series hybrid also received 5 stars overall, with 5 stars in all areas except front-crash tests.
- The redesigned Ford Escape and the new Mazda CX-5 earned 5 stars in side-crash tests and 4 stars in all other tests.
- The redesigned Mitsubishi Outlander Sport received 4 out of 5 stars across the board.
The NHTSA plans to crash-test another 54 model-year 2013 vehicles: 33 passenger cars, 16 SUVs, 4 pickup trucks, and 1 van.
Car crashes in Kentucky do more than damage your vehicle; they cost you time and inconvenience to get your car repaired, as well as possible injury to yourself and your passengers. Call the Louisville auto accident lawyers at Gray and White at 502-210-8942 or toll free at 888-450-4456 to set up a FREE, no-obligation consultation.