Best and Worst Rated Auto Safety Picks of 2010

Posted in Auto Insurance

November 23rd, 2009

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released its picks for the best and worst cars based safety for 2010. There may be some surprises in the mix and some, maybe no so much so. Let’s take a look at a few of the vehicles the Institute chose for the best and worst this year.

The Best Rated Autos

• Subaru was the only automaker with a winner in all four classes, winning five awards.
• Chrysler won four awards for its improvements in crashworthiness.
• The Nissan Cube and Kia Soul, two of the smaller cars tested, were top safety picks for front, rear, side and rollover testing.

The Worst Rated Autos

• The Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio, both of which under manufacturers that traditionally test well for safety, scored poorly when hit from the side and rear.
• The Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute hybrid models all scored poorly in a rollover.
• The Toyota Sienna scored poorly when hit from the rear.

The vehicles are tested for their ability to protect people in front, rear and side crashes. Also, this is the first year that roofs were accounted for in the testing process.

As you may know, auto safety ratings could play a role in your auto insurance premium. So if you’re looking for lower coverage, in addition to shopping for lower rates, it’s good to keep track of the safest vehicles on the road.

For a full list of auto safety picks, visit the IIHS’s website.

Based on the Institute’s best and worst picks, which vehicle would you choose?