Motor Authority - blog Tag: Good

It's not every day that an automotive first is achieved - the industry is over a century old, after all. So that makes Acura's first-ever sweep of top marks in IIHS and NHTSA safety ratings impressive as a first as well as for the safety of its vehicles.

The final vehicle to get the top scores was the new 2009 Acura TL (pictured above). With that, all of Acura's vehicles are now certified as 5-star (NHTSA NCAP) or 'Good' (IIHS) - the top marks possible in the U.S.

But there's bound to be at least one asterisk next to the entry in the record books: Acura isn't really a full-line carmaker. Sure, it offers a crossover, an SUV, and a trio of ... It's not every day that an automotive first is achieved - the industry is over a century old, after all. So that makes Acura's first-ever sweep of top marks in IIHS and NHTSA safety ratings impressive as a first as well as for the safety of its vehicles. The final vehicle to get the top scores was the new 2009 Acura TL (pictured above). With that, all of Acura's vehicles are now certified as 5-star (NHTSA NCAP) or 'Good' (IIHS) - the top marks possible in the U.S. But there's bound to be at least one asterisk next to the entry in the record books: Acura isn't really a full-line carmaker. Sure, it offers a crossover, an SUV, and a trio of sedans, but compared to BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Lexus Acura's five models are but a drop in the bucket. Still, considering recently tightened safety regulations and electronic stability control requirements, the win across its lineup does mean Acura's cars are also some of the more technologically advanced when it comes to safety features. Things like Acura's ACE body structure, designed to help absorb the energy of a frontal crash, and standard features like full airbags, ABS, stability and traction control are supplemented by more advanced tech like the Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) that interacts with the front side airbags to provide intelligent airbag deployment. Together, the whole package yields the safest lineup in the industry - no matter the size.2009 Acura TL2009 Acura TL IIHS side impact test Read More

Crash testing brand-new vehicles may rub the Puritan ethic the wrong way, but it's the only sure way to find out just what a car is capable of in terms of protecting its occupants. Today a new round of testing by the IIHS reveals how the first batch of small SUVs holds up under new roof-strength standards.

Previous tests adhered to the NHTSA's roof-strength standard of 2.5 times the vehicle's weight. Now the IIHS has boosted its standard for selection as a Top Safety Pick to a full four times the vehicle's weight with a maximum crush of 5 inches.

The new results show only 4 of the 12 small SUVs tested in this round yielded top ratings: the... Crash testing brand-new vehicles may rub the Puritan ethic the wrong way, but it's the only sure way to find out just what a car is capable of in terms of protecting its occupants. Today a new round of testing by the IIHS reveals how the first batch of small SUVs holds up under new roof-strength standards. Previous tests adhered to the NHTSA's roof-strength standard of 2.5 times the vehicle's weight. Now the IIHS has boosted its standard for selection as a Top Safety Pick to a full four times the vehicle's weight with a maximum crush of 5 inches. The new results show only 4 of the 12 small SUVs tested in this round yielded top ratings: the Subaru Forester, Honda Element, Jeep Patriot and Volkswagen Tiguan. Second-tier SUVs included the Chevrolet Equinox, Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander and Suzuki Grand Vitara. Stepping down a notch further, the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape rated 'marginal' on the IIHS' four-level scale, while the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson rated 'poor' - perhaps explaining where the Korean carmakers is saving some of its money. The 'Good', 'Acceptable', 'Marginal' and 'Poor' ratings correspond to the roof supporting at least 4, greater than 3.25, greater than 2.5, and less than 2.5 times the vehicle's weight respectively. It's worth mentioning, however, that the IIHS' new standard isn't official. In fact, the NHTSA has been famously slow in adopting new roof crush standards. Part of the reason is the projected expense to the industry - right now is not the time to throw another burden on the struggling carmakers - but part of the reason is also that even substantial improvements in roof strength will have little actual effect on the number of rollover-related deaths each year. A consumer advocate safety group called Public Citizen is even calling for a complete revamp of the way the tests are done - rather than a static test like that done by the NHTSA and IIHS, they would have a 'dynamic' test - one more closely simulating an actual rollover. The IIHS on the other hand thinks that its decision to jump up from the 2.5 times vehicle weight ratio required by the NHTSA to the new 4 times vehicle weigh factor would reduce casualties by 50%. That's a strong claim, and the new test is one that the IIHS expects to significantly reduce the numper of Top Safety Picks it issues each year. Currently 73 cars bear that honor. Read More