Who still says Tesla is not safe? The IIHS 2022 Best Safety Award is out

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) annually conducts crash safety tests on new cars sold in the United States and gives them the appropriate safety ratings. Recently, IIHS released the list of Top Safety Picks (Best Safety) and Top Safety Picks Plus+ (Best Safety Plus) models for 2022, with a total of 36 models for Top Safety Picks and 65 models for Top Safety Picks Plus+.

It is understood that in order to receive the Top Safety Picks Plus+ title, a model must receive a "G" rating in all crash programs. In addition, it also needs to get an "A" rating or higher in the active safety and headlight tests. Unlike Top Safety Picks Plus+, Top Safety Pick is not specific to the headlight test, but it does require a "G" rating in all crash categories. Officials said more models have improved their lights, so this year's Top Safety Pick+ awards reached 65 models, up from 49 last year.

Lists
This year, the models that received Top Safety Picks Plus+ were mainly concentrated in the Japanese brands, mainly because the Japanese test models occupied a larger proportion, including the Honda Civic/Accord, Mazda 3/CX-5, Toyota Camry/Sienna/Handa, Subaru Lions, Acura TLX, Lexus ES, Mitsubishi Outlander and other representative models.


Korean Hyundai Motor Group became the biggest winner, including Hyundai, Kia and Janissary three brands a total of 21 models into the list, of which 11 received Top Safety Picks Plus+, respectively, Hyundai Tucson, Palisade, Santa Fe, Nexo; Kia K5, Stinger; Janissary G70, G80, G90, GV70 & GV80. Hyundai Motor Group's presence in the domestic market is increasing, but it is still hot in the overseas market. Data show that Hyundai's global sales in 2021 were 3.8910 million units, up 3.9% year-on-year. Together with Kia Motors' market sales, Hyundai Motor Group ranks fourth in the global market, behind Toyota, Volkswagen and Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

Toyota Senna

American models only six models appear in the list, respectively, Tesla Model 3/Model Y, Ford Bronco, Ford Explorer, Cadillac XT6, Chrysler Pacifica, compared to last year's list of models increased, which also reflects the U.S. models in the safety performance of a certain degree of improvement. Compared to the U.S. models, the European models are swept by Volvo, including the S60, V60, XC60, XC40, XC90 and other models have won the Top Safety Picks Plus+ title, Volvo as the "world's safest car" on behalf of the car company, can be said to be well deserved. As for the German side, mainly for Audi and Mercedes-Benz, including the Mercedes-Benz GLE, Audi A6, Audi A7, etc., while Volkswagen only ID.3 into the list, BMW and other German brands failed to get the Top Safety Picks Plus+ title.

Lists

Then look at the list of Top Safety Picks, the models on the list are also concentrated in the Japanese and Korean brands. Japanese models, Nissan Sentra , Honda CR-V, Toyota C-HR / Avalon , Lexus UX / RX, etc., are basically the more popular models on the market. Korean models on the list is higher than the Japanese, Hyundai's Elantra, Sonata, Kia's Forte, Seltos, Sorento, Soul, Sportage, Carnival , but most models are not sold in the country. American models, General's Buick Encore GX , Ford's Mustang Mach-E, Escape, F-150, FCA's Dodge Ram 1500, compared to Ford on the list of more models, while FCA has only 1, no models on the list of General.

Tesla model Y

As for the German models, the three major German luxury brands BBA have models on the list, including BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Audi Q8, Audi A5 Sportback, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Mercedes-Benz GLC. As for the Volkswagen brand, which ranks second in the world, there is no model on the list. In other words, whether it is Top Safety Picks or Top Safety Picks Plus +, it is incredible that the Volkswagen brand has only one model on the list.

As far as single manufacturers are concerned, Hyundai Motor Group is the biggest "winner", including Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands with a total of 21 models to win the title, breaking the consumer's inherent impression of Korean models, but only in the U.S. market. Volvo's performance is also relatively bright, with nine of its models receiving Top Safety Picks Plus +, which can be said to be well-deserved. In the domestic C-IASI or C-NCAP, Volvo models have a relatively high safety factor. As American brands, Ford, GM and FCA have few models on the list, and their performance is very general.


About Author
John Murphy

John Murphy is the founder of TOPCARS Tesla Aftermarket Accessories, as well as an investor in Tesla and owner of the Model Y. He posts about Tesla news while running the site on a daily basis.

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