IIHS releases list of 2009 Top Safety Picks

Filed under: Car Buying, Safety

Vehicles are getting safer according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which published its list of 2009 Top Safety Picks today. A total of 72 vehicles earned Top Safety Pick honors this year, which means each one earned the highest score of Good in front, side and rear crash tests performed by the IIHS, as well as offers electronic stability control. Ford and Volvo had the most cars on the list with 16 total, while Honda/Acura nabbed 13. The VW/Audi Group had nine models, and General Motors and Toyota each had eight.

Proper head restraints were apparently a major stumbling block that kept a total of 26 vehicles off the list. The Chevy Malibu, Saturn Aura, Toyota Prius and Camry, smart fortwo, Infiniti G35 and M35 and many more would have made the list if they offered adequate head restraint designs. Chrysler LLC was the only automaker with no Top Safety Picks, and would have earned the honor for the Dodge Avenger/Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town and Country if they had offered better head restraint designs.

The IIHS says that this year's total of 72 picks is more than double last year's crop and triple the amount from 2007. That says new car safety is moving in the right direction and helped along the most by the widespread inclusion of ESC as standard equipment. Aside from Chrysler LLC, the good showing of both Ford and GM is also testament to the fact that U.S. automakers are not only keeping up with their competition when it comes to safety, but in many ways leading it.

Check out the complete list of all 72 Top Safety Picks after the jump.

UPDATE: Video added after the jump.

[Source: IIHS]

Continue reading IIHS releases list of 2009 Top Safety Picks

IIHS releases list of 2009 Top Safety Picks originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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