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Thirteen Vehicles Named to The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety List of Safest Vehicles

Thirteen vehicles, including four cars, seven SUVs, and two minivans, earned The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick awards for 2007. The award is given to vehicles that best protect people in front, side, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute tests. Winners are also required to be equipped with electronic stability control. Honda and Subaru each manufacture three of the 13 winning vehicles.

The complete list of winners for 2007 include:

  • Large car: Audi A6 manufactured Dec. 2006 and after
  • Midsize cars: Audi A4, Saab 9-3, Subaru Legacy equipped with optional electronic stability control
  • Minivans: Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona
  • Luxury SUVs: Mercedes M class, Volvo XC90
  • Midsize SUVs: Acura RDX, Honda Pilot, Subaru B9 Tribeca
  • Small SUVs: Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester equipped with optional electronic stability control

Pickups were not included in this round of awards because the Institute hasn't begun to evaluate their side crashworthiness.

The Institute ratings of good, acceptable, marginal, or poor are based on each vehicle’s performance in high-speed front and side crash tests. Consideration is also provided for how well seat/head restraints protect passengers against neck injuries during rear impacts. For a vehicle to become a top pick it must obtain at least good ratings in all three of these tests.

A new electronic stability control requirement was added for 2007. This requirement was added because Institute research found that electronic stability control greatly reduces crash potential by helping drivers stay in control during emergency maneuvers. Single-vehicle crashes in general were reduced 40 percent with the addition of this feature. Fatal single-vehicle crashes declined 56 percent, and fatal rollovers decreased by nearly 80 percent.

Some manufacturers improved their vehicles specifically to earn the awards. The Institute noted that Audi redesigned the seat/head restraints in the A4 and A6 to improve performance in the rear impact test and Subaru stepped up its plans to offer electronic stability control on some versions of the Forester and Legacy in order to meet the new requirement.

Other vehicles are also in the process of being changed to make them eligible for an award. Ford will add electronic stability control to 2008 Freestyles. Most automakers have added standard side airbags with head protection, even though government regulations don't require them yet. All 2007 winners have standard side airbags.

Seventeen other vehicles would have won awards with better seat/head restraint designs. Toyota would have earned nine awards, including three Lexus winners. Honda could have added four more awards, including one for an Acura. The Institute stated that rear crash protection is a safety area in which many automakers lag behind.
     
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Electric Insurance Company is a national writer of personal insurance, specializing in car insurance, home insurance, umbrella coverage and more. We were established in 1966 to serve the needs of General Electric employees. We now also offer our insurance products to the general public. Given our roots, it's not surprising that we look at the insurance business a little bit differently. It wasn't long before relatives and friends of GE employees noticed how happy they were with their home insurance and car insurance and asked if we would provide them with auto insurance too. Today, individuals and families with no formal ties to General Electric hold more than half of our home and car insurance policies. Our goal is to become the preferred home and car insurance carrier for both GE employees and individuals and families from the general public who appreciate the great value and exceptional service we provide.

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