Subaru leads the IIHS safety test, 7 of its models received the highest safety rating

MANILA: IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) is among the world’s most difficult safety tests for automobiles. It has a variety of parameters that decide the safety rating of a vehicle. Getting a good IIHS rating is considered to be a real deal. And Subaru has just nailed it.

As per the latest results, seven Subaru vehicles have received the Top Safety Pick+ safety rating (the highest in the IIHS tests). The recipients include Subaru XV, Impreza Sedan, Impreza Hatchback, Legacy, Outback, Ascent, and WRX. With this result, Subaru is the leading brand in the IIHS tests.

Other brands that made it to the top-tier include Hyundai (includes both Kia and Genesis), Mercedes-Benz, Toyota (includes Lexus), Honda (includes Acura), and Mazda. No sign of Volvo, which is considered to manufacture some of the world’s safest vehicles, because of one missing test parameter.

Surprisingly, the all-new 2019 Subaru Forester just missed entering the Top Safety Pick+ category as its headlight system got an “acceptable” rating. It was listed in the Top Safety Pick category (the second best) which had 17 other vehicles including the Honda Accord, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Corolla.

In order to become an IIHS Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn “good” ratings in 5 crashworthiness evaluations and must have available automatic emergency braking that rates “advanced” or “superior” for front crash prevention. In addition, 2019 tests require a “good” rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test to earn a 2019 Top Safety Pick+; an “acceptable” rating in this new test earns a vehicle a Top Safety Pick.

The IIHS notes that most of the winners of the Top Safety Pick+ safety rating are cars and SUVs. Microcars, minicars, minivans, and pickup trucks were missing. Although all but microcars and pickup trucks are represented by at least one Top Safety Pick award.

For the 2019 awards, it was the sixth time in a row that IIHS has raised the bar to earn the Top Safety Pick+ safety rating since introducing it in the 2013 model year to recognize vehicles that offer a superior level of safety. And even after that, Subaru overtook every other brand in the world to become the leader in this test.