The 2005 Honda CR-V small sport-utility vehicle with standard side airbags was rated tops in side-impact crash tests conducted by an insurance group.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the organization that crashes new cars and issues safety ratings, gave the CR-V the best rating of good. Ford's Escape small SUV with optional side airbags also earned a good rating. The Escape without side airbags performed poorly in protecting its occupants. The 2003 CR-V without side airbags was rated marginal.
"Honda and Ford made changes to their small SUVs to improve occupant protection in side crashes. Still, most small SUVs are rated marginal or poor in this test," said Adrian Lund, the institute's chief operating officer.
The institute issued side-impact crashworthiness ratings for 13 small sport-utility vehicles. The test involved slamming a 3,300-pound deformable barrier into the driver's side at 31 mile per hour simulating the impact of a typical pickup.
Side crashes killed about 10,000 people last year.
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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the organization that crashes new cars and issues safety ratings, gave the CR-V the best rating of good. Ford's Escape small SUV with optional side airbags also earned a good rating. The Escape without side airbags performed poorly in protecting its occupants. The 2003 CR-V without side airbags was rated marginal.
"Honda and Ford made changes to their small SUVs to improve occupant protection in side crashes. Still, most small SUVs are rated marginal or poor in this test," said Adrian Lund, the institute's chief operating officer.
The institute issued side-impact crashworthiness ratings for 13 small sport-utility vehicles. The test involved slamming a 3,300-pound deformable barrier into the driver's side at 31 mile per hour simulating the impact of a typical pickup.
Side crashes killed about 10,000 people last year.
motortrend
