For safety-conscious drivers, the 2021 Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security TOP SAFETY PICK awards symbolize a wealth of decisions.
Annually, the IIHS, a nonprofit analysis and training group, conducts exams to find out which autos do the perfect job of defending individuals in the most typical sorts of crashes — entrance, aspect, rollover and rear. Autos should additionally rating nicely in entrance crash prevention and headlights.
The IIHS awarded winners in 11 measurement classes, from small vehicles to massive pickups. This 12 months’s variety of autos on the IIHS record elevated by greater than 50 % over 2020, and the vehicles incomes the premium TOP SAFETY PICK+ accolade greater than doubled.
What Makes a TOP SAFETY PICK?
Nearly yearly, the IIHS barely adjusts its standards for autos to earn both TOP SAFETY PICK or TOP SAFETY PICK+ standing. When establishing the standards for the awards, the IIHS phases in new necessities regularly – first as standards for the “plus” award, then later for the common TOP SAFETY PICK award. This provides automakers time to plan forward and regulate future designs.
Listed here are just a few options you’ll discover on this 12 months’s high rated autos:
- Headlight enhancements: Beginning final 12 months, solely autos with good or acceptable headlights throughout all trims and packages might earn TOP SAFETY PICK+ standing. By protecting this customary, automakers responded by extra doubling the autos that qualify.
- Entrance crash prevention: Autos usually are not required to have customary entrance crash prevention to qualify for the awards, nevertheless it didn’t damage any of the winners. All 49 TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners and 31 TOP SAFETY PICK winners have customary techniques that meet the vehicle-to-vehicle requirement. And all however one of many “plus” picks additionally meet the prevention criterion with their customary techniques.
- Crashworthiness: In fact, all award winners want robust efficiency in all six IIHS crash exams. Final 12 months, the IIHS required the next customary of “good” within the passenger-side small overlap entrance take a look at. (In 2019, the decrease “acceptable” ranking was adequate to win an award.)
For extra particulars on how IIHS crash exams work (and what they search for), go to the security rankings web page on the IIHS web site.
The 2021 TOP SAFETY PICK+ Winners
In all, 90 vehicles and SUVs earned TOP SAFETY PICK standing, together with 49 that achieved the elite “plus” distinction. This whole represents a marked improve from 2020, when 64 fashions had been named TOP SAFETY PICKs and 23 garnered plus designation.
Volvo paced the sector with 9 TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards. The Swedish automaker positioned 4 fashions every within the midsize luxurious automotive (S60, S60 Recharge, V60 and V60 Recharge) and midsize luxurious SUV (XC 60, XC60 Recharge, XC90 and XC90 Recharge) classes, whereas its XC40 additionally earned the excellence within the small SUV class.
Hyundai Motor Group —which manufactures the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis manufacturers — once more led all automakers with 12 general TOP SAFETY PICKS, together with 5 pluses. The Hyundai Palisade and Nexo, Genesis G70 and G90, and the Kia K5 every earned high marks.
For the total record of winners and rankings, go to iihs.org/rankings.
Insurance coverage for New and Used Vehicles
Automobile procuring can symbolize the proper time to rethink your auto insurance coverage. Listed here are just a few associated tales from our weblog which may present some useful perception:
- What Determines the Value of My Auto Insurance coverage?
- What’s Cheaper: Insuring Outdated Vehicles or New Vehicles?
- Do I Have Insurance coverage After I Drive My New Automobile Off the Lot?
- What to Know Earlier than Buying and selling In Your Automobile
- Ought to You Purchase a New or Used Automobile?
Whether or not you intend on buying a 2021 TOP SAFETY PICK, a distinct car or are sticking together with your present set of wheels, an area ERIE agent is prepared that can assist you discover the proper protection for you. Contact them right now to start out a dialog.
