IIHS names Top Safety Pick awards for 2015 vehicle models

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently released the list of 2015 vehicles awarded Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ ratings by IIHS.

A total of 33 vehicles were awarded Top Safety Pick+ and 38 were awarded Top Safety Pick.

New for 2015 models, the Top Safety Pick+ designation requires a “front crash prevention system that earns an advanced or superior rating,” IIHS stated. In 2014, vehicles with only a basic rating for front crash prevention were eligible to be named Top Safety Pick+.

“Warning systems that meet the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s performance criteria but don’t include autobrake qualify for a basic rating,” IIHS noted.

“Although forward collision warning on its own is a valuable feature, we decided to tighten our criteria to encourage manufacturers to offer autobrake,” IIHS president Adrian Lund stated. “Systems that don’t require a driver response to avoid or mitigate a crash have the most potential for reducing crashes. Nevertheless, the models that are losing their plus signs are still great choices for safety, as are all the Top Safety Pick winners.”

To be named a Top Safety Pick+, a vehicle would have to be assessed as having good occupant protection in at least four of five IIHS tests, and acceptable or better in the fifth test. Since 2013, IIHS also required vehicles to get either good or acceptable scores in IIHS’s small overlap front test, which was introduced in 2012.

The other tests are moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints.

The small overlap front test  “replicates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object such as a tree or a utility pole,” IIHS stated in its Status Report dated December 23.

“Most of the Top Safety Pick+ winners earn the award only when equipped with optional front crash prevention systems,” IIHS stated. “However, when not equipped, they still meet the crashworthiness criteria for Top Safety Pick.”

The 2015 model vehicles rated as Top Safety Pick+ are:

-BMW AG’s 2 series;

-Daimler AG’s Mercedes Benz E Class and M-Class;

-Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Chrysler 200;

-Fuji Heavy Industry Ltd.’s Subaru Impreza, XV, Crosstek, Legacy, Outback and Forester;

-Honda Motor Co.’s Acura TLX, RLX and MDX;

-Honda Motor Co.’s Honda CR-V;

-Hyundai Motor Company’s Genesis;

-Mazda Motor Corp.’s Mazda 3, 6 and CX-5;

-Mitsubishi Corp.’s Outlander;

-Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.’s Infiniti Q50 and Q70 (except the V-8 4WD);

-Toyota Motor Company’s Toyota Prius, Prius v, Camry, Highlander and Sienna;

-Toyota Motor Company’s Lexus NX and Lexus CT 200h (built after September, 2014;

-Volkswagen Group’s Audi A3; and

-Volvo Car Corp.’s S60, V60, S80 and XC-60.