Subaru Forester Tops Updated Insurance Institute Crash Test for Small SUV Front Prevention

Roughly one in ten small SUVs have received top ratings for vehicle front crash prevention during an updated test by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The organization has updated their test procedures as more and more cars are fitted with automatic emergency braking, reducing front-to-rear crashes. The new evaluation focuses on high speed collisions involving either a motorcycle or large truck; tests previously had vehicles being hit at speeds of 12mph and 25mph but now reach up to 43mph. Only the Subaru Forester received top marks, with other models such as Honda CR-Vs and Toyota RAV4s receiving acceptable ratings while Ford Escapes, Hyundai Tucson’s and Jeep Compasses earned marginal scores. The Chevrolet Equinox, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander and Volkswagen Taos performed poorly in the tests according to IIHS data released Thursday. David Harkey, President of IIHS said that their research shows automatic emergency braking prevents around half of all front-to-rear crashes; “This new tougher evaluation targets some of the most dangerous front-to rear crashes still happening,” he added. While even cars with lower ratings in these tests performed better than previously required, Ford stated that its Escape met or exceeded current safety standards and was rated five stars overall by NHTSA. Stellantis (which owns Jeep) also claimed their vehicles adhered to all applicable federal safety requirements while Mazda said it would work on improving the automatic emergency braking systems in future models, believing they could achieve higher ratings soon. Mitsubishi Motors North America and General Motors (owner of Chevy brand), both stated that their cars already exceed necessary US safety standards and had been recognized by IIHS for performing well under its testing protocols.