Lincoln, Mercedes, and Toyota Sedans Earn Top Crash Safety Marks
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The Lincoln Continental, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Toyota Avalon each qualified for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick+ designation, the group's highest mark, in its latest testing.
The three sedans were judged Good, the top mark, in small overlap front crash test, moderate overlap front crash test, side-impact crash test, roof strength, head restraints and seats, and front crash prevention with advanced safety features, the IIHS said Thursday.
The Chevrolet Impala, Ford Taurus and Tesla Model S were also tested.
This group of sedans in the recent testing were separated most dramatically by performances in the small overlap crash, a challenging test that concentrates crash forces on a just a quarter of the vehicle’s front (the driver’s side corner). The test car is hurled at 40 mph into a 5-foot rigid barrier, simulating a strike against a telephone pole or tree. A somewhat recent addition to the IIHS test portfolio, the small overlap test has often challenged older designs implemented before the test was introduced in 2012.
The Impala and Taurus each scored Acceptable, a notch below Good, in this test. IIHS noted that the crash-test dummy in the Impala indicated a low risk of significant injuries, but the dummy in the Taurus showed that injuries to the left lower leg would be possible in a crash like this.
The Impala and Taurus earned Good marks in all other crash evaluations, roof strength, and head restraints and seat belts. Neither model had been put through the small overlap evaluation before.
The Tesla Model S was the lowest-rated among these six vehicles, and this was the second time it was evaluated. It initially received an Acceptable rating for the small overlap test, and the company responded by making changes to its safety belt in cars built after January 2017, according to IIHS. As explained by the Institute, the Model S “safety belt let the dummy’s torso move too far forward, allowing the dummy’s head to strike the steering wheel hard through the airbag.”
However, in the latest test, the IIHS recorded a greater intrusion into the driver’s space than was seen in the earlier test. Where it had previously earned a Good for structural integrity, it now receives an Acceptable rating. The safety organization averaged the scores, giving the Model S a current rating of Acceptable for structure. The Model S was rated Acceptable overall.
Tesla responded Thursday to the IIHS ratings, saying, “IIHS and dozens of other private industry groups around the world have methods and motivations that suit their own subjective purposes. The most objective and accurate independent testing of vehicle safety is currently done by the U.S. government which found Model S and Model X to be the two cars with the lowest probability of injury of any cars that it has ever tested, making them the safest cars in history,” the company said in its statement.
Notably absent was a front crash prevention rating for the Model S. IIHS cited the reason being that Tesla has just recently activated the feature. The Taurus received a Basic rating, as it has forward-collision warning that meets NHTSA criteria, but it lacks automatic braking. The other four sedans were given Superior ratings.
Consumer Reports has restored some points to its vehicle ratings for two current Tesla models because the automaker provided an update to the automatic emergency braking system that owners had been waiting for—some for as long as six months.
"Front crash prevention is another critical part of the IIHS safety tests. It's disappointing that more than six months after it was promised, the automatic emergency braking system isn't fully functioning at highway speeds," says Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports director of auto testing. Tesla's AEB system doesn't work above 28 mph, while those models equipped with AEB that were built before October of 2016 operated up to 90 mph. Tesla hasn't provided a new date when full functionality will work on the newer models.
In the less-demanding National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests, the 2015 Tesla Model S received top marks (five stars) for front crash, side crash, and resistance to rollover, leading to a five-star overall rating. The 2017 Model S is not rated by NHTSA.
"These test results give consumers important information, including how well cars protect occupants in incidents that aren't straight head-on, rear, or side crashes," says William Wallace, a policy analyst for Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports. "The findings by IIHS reinforce why it's so important for NHTSA to strengthen its new car evaluations, including by launching a new frontal oblique test. For the government's five-star safety ratings to be more meaningful for consumers, it needs to be more challenging for manufacturers to receive high scores."
Large cars have great potential for occupant protection, as their size can afford generous crumple zones, and modern large sedans tend to offer the latest safety advances, such as automatic emergency braking. As with SUVs, their added weight can be an advantage if colliding with a smaller vehicle. However, as these test results remind, performance can vary.
When it comes time to shop for your next new car, consider all facets of safety, including crash tests, emergency maneuvers, and dry/wet braking distances. All this information and more is available on the CR.org car model pages.
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