Consumer Reports restores Toyota Camry as a top safety pick (+ IIHS)
Enviado: 20 Dez 2013, 03:06
Consumer Reports restores Toyota Camry as a top safety pick
Thu, Dec 19 00:00 AM EST
By Paul Lienert
DETROIT, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp erased a black mark on its reputation for quality on Thursday when Consumer Reports restored a recommended rating for the flagship Camry sedan less than two months after the influential magazine had pulled the rating due to poor crash test results a year ago.
The 2014 Camry was retested this month by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and its rating raised from poor to acceptable in a year-old IIHS test procedure.
The group said the Camry was rated a top safety pick "after Toyota made changes to the structure of the front end for 2014 models built after November 1," according to IIHS spokeswoman Kristin Nevels.
Consumer Reports said it was reinstating its recommended rating "based on the Camry's performance in the latest IIHS small frontal-overlap test". The procedure is designed to emulate a collision involving the front corner of a vehicle and another vehicle or large object.
In late October, the influential magazine said it would no longer recommend the Camry, the Prius v hybrid or the RAV4 sport utility vehicle because they received "poor" ratings last December in the IIHS small frontal-overlap test.
Consumer Reports is one of the most widely trusted names for consumers shopping for cars, and companies try to ensure their vehicles earn the magazine's coveted "recommended" rating.
The IIHS, a non-profit group funded by the insurance industry, last year increased the rigor of its tests.
Consumer Reports waited to adjust its buyer recommendations until it saw how the entire industry was affected by the test.
The magazine does not recommend consumers buy a car that fares poorly in any crash tests.
Through the first 11 months, Camry was the best-selling passenger car in the United States, with sales of 378,520.
In its latest round of testing 2014 models, the IIHS said 22 vehicles received the highest safety rating and another 17, including the Camry, got the next highest rating.
Among the redesigned 2014 models that received the top safety pick+ rating were Honda Motor Co's Acura MDX and RLX, Nissan Motor Co's Infiniti Q50, the Mazda 3 and the Toyota Highlander.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/ ... 9?irpc=932
Thirty-nine vehicles meet tougher criteria to earn 2014 safety awards from IIHS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3COrEvb3rU
ARLINGTON, Va. — Twenty-two vehicles earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest safety award for 2014, TOP SAFETY PICK+, thanks to a high level of protection in crashes and the availability of front crash prevention technology to avoid many collisions in the first place. An additional 17 earn TOP SAFETY PICK by meeting the crashworthiness criteria alone.
IIHS is using new criteria for the awards this year. TOP SAFETY PICK requires good performance in the Institute's moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests and, for the first time, good or acceptable performance in the small overlap front test introduced in 2012. The same level of performance in those tests, along with at least a basic rating for front crash prevention, is required for the higher accolade, TOP SAFETY PICK+.
"We've made it more difficult for manufacturers this year," says IIHS President Adrian Lund. "Following a gradual phase-in, the small overlap crash is now part of our basic battery of tests, and good or acceptable performance should be part of every vehicle's safety credentials. We also felt it was time to offer extra recognition to manufacturers that are offering a proven crash avoidance technology."
IIHS has been awarding TOP SAFETY PICK since the 2006 model year and has tightened criteria twice before this year. TOP SAFETY PICK+ was introduced last year to reward automakers that achieved good or acceptable performance in the small overlap test, in which 25 percent of a vehicle's front end on the driver's side strikes a rigid barrier at 40 mph. The test replicates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object like a tree or utility pole.
With the small overlap test now incorporated into the basic TOP SAFETY PICK criteria, IIHS is using the TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation to reward manufacturers that provide the next level of safety. This year, that means vehicles that not only protect their occupants in a crash but also have systems that can prevent or mitigate front-to-rear crashes. Front crash prevention, which includes both warning systems and automatic braking, is intended to help inattentive drivers avoid rear-ending a stopped or slower-moving vehicle in front of them.
IIHS began rating front crash prevention systems earlier this year after research by its affiliate, the Highway Loss Data Institute, showed that forward collision warning and automatic braking systems are reducing crashes. Vehicles can earn basic, advanced or superior ratings for systems offered as standard or optional equipment. A vehicle with a forward collision warning system that meets performance criteria set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration automatically qualifies for a basic rating. Additional points are awarded for autobrake, based on performance in IIHS track tests at 12 mph and 25 mph.
Front crash prevention systems have been spreading quickly through the vehicle fleet. As a result, there are more 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners than regular TOP SAFETY PICK winners.
"Consumers who want both crash prevention technology and the latest in occupant protection have a fair number of vehicles to choose from," Lund says. "We hope manufacturers will continue to incorporate front crash prevention, developing more robust systems and adding them to more trim levels or, better yet, making them standard equipment."
The front crash prevention features of the TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners run the gamut from basic warning systems, such as those offered on the Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ and Honda's four winners, to Subaru's EyeSight warning and autobrake system. EyeSight avoids a collision in tests at both 12 mph and 25 mph and is available on the Forester, Legacy and Outback.
Most of the TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners qualify for the award only when equipped with optional front crash prevention systems. When those vehicles aren’t equipped with the features, they still meet the regular TOP SAFETY PICK criteria. The Volvo S60, S80 and XC60 and the Honda Civic hybrid earn TOP SAFETY PICK+ on the basis of standard equipment.
The 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners include eight models that didn’t earn the award in 2013. Among them are fully redesigned models, including the Acura MDX and RLX, Infiniti Q50, Mazda 3 and Toyota Highlander. Among TOP SAFETY PICK winners, the Chevrolet Spark minicar is a new model.
Some winners that did not undergo a full redesign were modified to improve small overlap performance. This includes the popular Toyota Camry, which now qualifies for TOP SAFETY PICK. The 2012-13 Camry models were rated poor for protection in a small overlap front crash, but the 2014 model earns an acceptable rating. The Toyota Prius and the Mazda CX-5 also were tweaked and now earn TOP SAFETY PICK+. Changes to these vehicles and some others were made after the 2014 model year started. See the list of winners for manufacture dates.
The Volvo S80, a large luxury car, is new to the TOP SAFETY PICK+ list because it hadn’t been previously tested for small overlap performance. However, it has had the same basic design since 2007, so its good small overlap result applies to earlier models as well.
Honda/Acura has the most winners of any automaker, with six models earning TOP SAFETY PICK+ and two earning TOP SAFETY PICK.
With the changes to the criteria, the number of TOP SAFETY PICK+ and TOP SAFETY PICK winners falls from a combined 130 at the time of the initial announcement of 2013 winners to 39 for 2014. Vehicles that have fallen off the list have less than acceptable ratings for small overlap protection or they haven’t been tested yet. All models that made it to the 2013 winners' circle continue to offer a high level of protection in four main crash types — moderate overlap front, side, rollover and rear.
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopne ... -from-iihs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kh__0HvOSA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MdOClsBCRY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAPzkM3NR9E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orjnxdOKgK4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6H0UctkKSc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guUdsQMdh4I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQjZZyHdTyc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG2OdG7JO4s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaHlmNaNZ6Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjCapVqQ4j0
Tougher criteria thin ranks of IIHS' top safety picks
WASHINGTON -- Even if cars are getting safer, the list of vehicles earning Top Safety Pick honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has gotten much shorter for 2014 because of stricter criteria that the IIHS put in place to spotlight new technology.
The group, which is funded by the insurance industry, said today that 22 vehicles earned its highest rating, “Top Safety Pick+,” for 2014, including popular models such as the Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Mazda3, Subaru Forester, and Toyota Highlander.
With just 17 additional models getting the second-tier “Top Safety Pick” rating, the total number of vehicles honored by the IIHS for 2014 declined by 70 percent from the previous year, when 130 models were recognized. Dozens of popular cars and SUVs, including the Ford Explorer, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota RAV4 and Volkswagen Jetta, fell from the list entirely, so their makers no longer will be able to use the IIHS award to tout their safety.
The reason is that the IIHS started requiring cars to ace its new “small overlap” crash test to receive either award. And to get Top Safety Pick+ honors, cars had to have some sort of forward collision warning or automatic braking system.
“Consumers who want both crash prevention technology and the latest in occupant protection have a fair number of vehicles to choose from,” IIHS President Adrian Lund said in a statement. “We hope manufacturers will continue to incorporate front crash prevention, developing more robust systems and adding them to more trim levels or, better yet, making them standard equipment.”
Forward collision warning systems, which use sensors or cameras to watch the road and will sometimes intervene to prevent a crash, are being added to cars at a rapid pace. Automakers are using their own brand names to market them: Volvo calls its system City Safety, while Subaru has EyeSight and Mazda has Smart City.
Insurance data show that such systems can reduce insurance claims by about 15 percent, IIHS says. This fall the group released its first testing on these systems, with Subaru’s EyeSight system doing the best job of preventing crashes on a test track.
Leading the pack in 2014 honors was Honda, with five nameplates receiving Top Safety Pick+ honors, including the Honda Accord, Honda Odyssey and Acura MDX. Mazda, Subaru and Volvo had three winners apiece; Ford and Toyota had two.
The other change was the expanded use of the small-overlap test, introduced in 2012.
That test simulates a crash in which one quarter of the front of a car strikes an object such as a tree, traffic barrier or oncoming car. These accidents are responsible for a disproportionate number of deaths in head-on collisions, largely because it is difficult to design the corner of a car to handle such a severe impact.
Toyota, which has struggled with the test since IIHS introduced it in 2012, now seems to be cracking the code.
Thanks to mid-model-year changes to the structure of the Toyota Prius hybrid, cars built after November earned Top Safety Pick+ honors for 2014.
Likewise, the Toyota Camry, which the magazine Consumer Reports dropped from its list of recommended models in October because of a performance on the test, earned Top Safety Pick honors for 2014 after a mid-cycle change in November.
http://www.autonews.com/article/2013121 ... z2nzJOdDnD
Thu, Dec 19 00:00 AM EST
By Paul Lienert
DETROIT, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp erased a black mark on its reputation for quality on Thursday when Consumer Reports restored a recommended rating for the flagship Camry sedan less than two months after the influential magazine had pulled the rating due to poor crash test results a year ago.
The 2014 Camry was retested this month by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and its rating raised from poor to acceptable in a year-old IIHS test procedure.
The group said the Camry was rated a top safety pick "after Toyota made changes to the structure of the front end for 2014 models built after November 1," according to IIHS spokeswoman Kristin Nevels.
Consumer Reports said it was reinstating its recommended rating "based on the Camry's performance in the latest IIHS small frontal-overlap test". The procedure is designed to emulate a collision involving the front corner of a vehicle and another vehicle or large object.
In late October, the influential magazine said it would no longer recommend the Camry, the Prius v hybrid or the RAV4 sport utility vehicle because they received "poor" ratings last December in the IIHS small frontal-overlap test.
Consumer Reports is one of the most widely trusted names for consumers shopping for cars, and companies try to ensure their vehicles earn the magazine's coveted "recommended" rating.
The IIHS, a non-profit group funded by the insurance industry, last year increased the rigor of its tests.
Consumer Reports waited to adjust its buyer recommendations until it saw how the entire industry was affected by the test.
The magazine does not recommend consumers buy a car that fares poorly in any crash tests.
Through the first 11 months, Camry was the best-selling passenger car in the United States, with sales of 378,520.
In its latest round of testing 2014 models, the IIHS said 22 vehicles received the highest safety rating and another 17, including the Camry, got the next highest rating.
Among the redesigned 2014 models that received the top safety pick+ rating were Honda Motor Co's Acura MDX and RLX, Nissan Motor Co's Infiniti Q50, the Mazda 3 and the Toyota Highlander.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/ ... 9?irpc=932
Thirty-nine vehicles meet tougher criteria to earn 2014 safety awards from IIHS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3COrEvb3rU
ARLINGTON, Va. — Twenty-two vehicles earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest safety award for 2014, TOP SAFETY PICK+, thanks to a high level of protection in crashes and the availability of front crash prevention technology to avoid many collisions in the first place. An additional 17 earn TOP SAFETY PICK by meeting the crashworthiness criteria alone.
IIHS is using new criteria for the awards this year. TOP SAFETY PICK requires good performance in the Institute's moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests and, for the first time, good or acceptable performance in the small overlap front test introduced in 2012. The same level of performance in those tests, along with at least a basic rating for front crash prevention, is required for the higher accolade, TOP SAFETY PICK+.
"We've made it more difficult for manufacturers this year," says IIHS President Adrian Lund. "Following a gradual phase-in, the small overlap crash is now part of our basic battery of tests, and good or acceptable performance should be part of every vehicle's safety credentials. We also felt it was time to offer extra recognition to manufacturers that are offering a proven crash avoidance technology."
IIHS has been awarding TOP SAFETY PICK since the 2006 model year and has tightened criteria twice before this year. TOP SAFETY PICK+ was introduced last year to reward automakers that achieved good or acceptable performance in the small overlap test, in which 25 percent of a vehicle's front end on the driver's side strikes a rigid barrier at 40 mph. The test replicates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object like a tree or utility pole.
With the small overlap test now incorporated into the basic TOP SAFETY PICK criteria, IIHS is using the TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation to reward manufacturers that provide the next level of safety. This year, that means vehicles that not only protect their occupants in a crash but also have systems that can prevent or mitigate front-to-rear crashes. Front crash prevention, which includes both warning systems and automatic braking, is intended to help inattentive drivers avoid rear-ending a stopped or slower-moving vehicle in front of them.
IIHS began rating front crash prevention systems earlier this year after research by its affiliate, the Highway Loss Data Institute, showed that forward collision warning and automatic braking systems are reducing crashes. Vehicles can earn basic, advanced or superior ratings for systems offered as standard or optional equipment. A vehicle with a forward collision warning system that meets performance criteria set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration automatically qualifies for a basic rating. Additional points are awarded for autobrake, based on performance in IIHS track tests at 12 mph and 25 mph.
Front crash prevention systems have been spreading quickly through the vehicle fleet. As a result, there are more 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners than regular TOP SAFETY PICK winners.
"Consumers who want both crash prevention technology and the latest in occupant protection have a fair number of vehicles to choose from," Lund says. "We hope manufacturers will continue to incorporate front crash prevention, developing more robust systems and adding them to more trim levels or, better yet, making them standard equipment."
The front crash prevention features of the TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners run the gamut from basic warning systems, such as those offered on the Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ and Honda's four winners, to Subaru's EyeSight warning and autobrake system. EyeSight avoids a collision in tests at both 12 mph and 25 mph and is available on the Forester, Legacy and Outback.
Most of the TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners qualify for the award only when equipped with optional front crash prevention systems. When those vehicles aren’t equipped with the features, they still meet the regular TOP SAFETY PICK criteria. The Volvo S60, S80 and XC60 and the Honda Civic hybrid earn TOP SAFETY PICK+ on the basis of standard equipment.
The 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners include eight models that didn’t earn the award in 2013. Among them are fully redesigned models, including the Acura MDX and RLX, Infiniti Q50, Mazda 3 and Toyota Highlander. Among TOP SAFETY PICK winners, the Chevrolet Spark minicar is a new model.
Some winners that did not undergo a full redesign were modified to improve small overlap performance. This includes the popular Toyota Camry, which now qualifies for TOP SAFETY PICK. The 2012-13 Camry models were rated poor for protection in a small overlap front crash, but the 2014 model earns an acceptable rating. The Toyota Prius and the Mazda CX-5 also were tweaked and now earn TOP SAFETY PICK+. Changes to these vehicles and some others were made after the 2014 model year started. See the list of winners for manufacture dates.
The Volvo S80, a large luxury car, is new to the TOP SAFETY PICK+ list because it hadn’t been previously tested for small overlap performance. However, it has had the same basic design since 2007, so its good small overlap result applies to earlier models as well.
Honda/Acura has the most winners of any automaker, with six models earning TOP SAFETY PICK+ and two earning TOP SAFETY PICK.
With the changes to the criteria, the number of TOP SAFETY PICK+ and TOP SAFETY PICK winners falls from a combined 130 at the time of the initial announcement of 2013 winners to 39 for 2014. Vehicles that have fallen off the list have less than acceptable ratings for small overlap protection or they haven’t been tested yet. All models that made it to the 2013 winners' circle continue to offer a high level of protection in four main crash types — moderate overlap front, side, rollover and rear.
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopne ... -from-iihs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kh__0HvOSA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MdOClsBCRY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAPzkM3NR9E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orjnxdOKgK4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6H0UctkKSc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guUdsQMdh4I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQjZZyHdTyc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG2OdG7JO4s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaHlmNaNZ6Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjCapVqQ4j0
Tougher criteria thin ranks of IIHS' top safety picks
WASHINGTON -- Even if cars are getting safer, the list of vehicles earning Top Safety Pick honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has gotten much shorter for 2014 because of stricter criteria that the IIHS put in place to spotlight new technology.
The group, which is funded by the insurance industry, said today that 22 vehicles earned its highest rating, “Top Safety Pick+,” for 2014, including popular models such as the Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Mazda3, Subaru Forester, and Toyota Highlander.
With just 17 additional models getting the second-tier “Top Safety Pick” rating, the total number of vehicles honored by the IIHS for 2014 declined by 70 percent from the previous year, when 130 models were recognized. Dozens of popular cars and SUVs, including the Ford Explorer, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota RAV4 and Volkswagen Jetta, fell from the list entirely, so their makers no longer will be able to use the IIHS award to tout their safety.
The reason is that the IIHS started requiring cars to ace its new “small overlap” crash test to receive either award. And to get Top Safety Pick+ honors, cars had to have some sort of forward collision warning or automatic braking system.
“Consumers who want both crash prevention technology and the latest in occupant protection have a fair number of vehicles to choose from,” IIHS President Adrian Lund said in a statement. “We hope manufacturers will continue to incorporate front crash prevention, developing more robust systems and adding them to more trim levels or, better yet, making them standard equipment.”
Forward collision warning systems, which use sensors or cameras to watch the road and will sometimes intervene to prevent a crash, are being added to cars at a rapid pace. Automakers are using their own brand names to market them: Volvo calls its system City Safety, while Subaru has EyeSight and Mazda has Smart City.
Insurance data show that such systems can reduce insurance claims by about 15 percent, IIHS says. This fall the group released its first testing on these systems, with Subaru’s EyeSight system doing the best job of preventing crashes on a test track.
Leading the pack in 2014 honors was Honda, with five nameplates receiving Top Safety Pick+ honors, including the Honda Accord, Honda Odyssey and Acura MDX. Mazda, Subaru and Volvo had three winners apiece; Ford and Toyota had two.
The other change was the expanded use of the small-overlap test, introduced in 2012.
That test simulates a crash in which one quarter of the front of a car strikes an object such as a tree, traffic barrier or oncoming car. These accidents are responsible for a disproportionate number of deaths in head-on collisions, largely because it is difficult to design the corner of a car to handle such a severe impact.
Toyota, which has struggled with the test since IIHS introduced it in 2012, now seems to be cracking the code.
Thanks to mid-model-year changes to the structure of the Toyota Prius hybrid, cars built after November earned Top Safety Pick+ honors for 2014.
Likewise, the Toyota Camry, which the magazine Consumer Reports dropped from its list of recommended models in October because of a performance on the test, earned Top Safety Pick honors for 2014 after a mid-cycle change in November.
http://www.autonews.com/article/2013121 ... z2nzJOdDnD
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