The Safest and Most Dangerous Cars and Trucks for 2007
by www.SixWise.com
Safety is often a top priority in the minds of car buyers.
In fact, according to a 2007 Detroit Free-Press poll, safety
is second only to fuel efficiency when it comes to buying
a car. Fortunately, every year the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) conduct numerous crash tests on cars
and trucks to rate their safety, so you don't have to.
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The 2007 Honda Fit earned "Best Small Car"
and "Best of the Year," according to Motorweek's
2007 Drivers' Choice Awards.
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In order to become an IIHS top safety pick, vehicles must
earn good ratings on three measures of safety: performance
in high-speed front crash tests, performance in high-speed
side crash tests, and ability of seat/head restraints to protect
against neck injuries in rear impacts.
Additionally, a new requirement for 2007 safety picks was
having electronic stability control, which has been found
to significantly reduce the risk of crashes by helping drivers
maintain control of their vehicles during emergency maneuvers.
IIHS Top Vehicle Safety Picks for 2007
Large car
Midsize cars
- Audi A4
- Saab 9-3
- Subaru Legacy (with optional electronic stability control)
Minivans
- Hyundai Entourage
- Kia Sedona
Midsize SUVs
- Acura RDX
- Ford Edge
- Honda Pilot
- Lincoln MKX
- Mercedes M class
- Subaru B9 Tribeca
- Volvo XC90
Small SUVs
- Honda CR-V
- Subaru Forester (with optional electronic stability control)
NHTSA Five-Star Safety Ratings
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also
announced that 24 2007 vehicles received five stars in front
and side crash tests, the highest government rating under
the agency's New Car Assessment Program. These vehicles include:
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The 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca is one of the top safety
picks for 2007 mid-size SUVs, according to tests by
the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
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Four-Door Passenger Vehicles
- Dodge Caliber
- Ford Five Hundred
- Kia Optima
- Mercury Montego
- Subaru Legacy
- Saturn Aura
- Toyota Camry
Four-Door SUVs
- Acura MDX
- Acura RDX
- Audi Q7
- Dodge Nitro
- Ford Freestyle
- GMC Acadia
- Honda CR-V
- Honda Element
- Hyundai Santa Fe
- Infiniti FX35/45
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Kia Sorento
- Kia Sportage
- Mazda CX-7
- Saturn Outlook
- Subaru Outback
- Toyota Highlander
MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Awards
Motorweek, one of the nation's leading sources for automotive
industry news and new car information, has also released their
Drivers' Choice Awards for 2007. Over 150 new cars, trucks
and SUVs were tested, and the winners chosen based on performance
in road and track tests and comparisons to competitors. The
Drivers' Choice Awards represent the "cream of the crop"
for car buyers, based on performance, technology, practicality,
and dollar value, from a consumer perspective. The winners
are:
- Best Small Car: Honda Fit (which also won "Best of
the Year")
- Best Family Sedan: Saturn Aura
- Best Minivan: Hyundai Entourage and Kia Sedona
- Best Convertible: Volkswagen Eos
- Best Luxury Sedan: Lexus LS
- Best Sport Sedan: Infiniti G35
- Best Performance Car: Ford Shelby GT500
- Best Small Utility: Honda CR-V
- Best Large Utility: Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon
- Best Crossover Utility: GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook
- Best Pickup Truck: Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra
- Best Eco-Friendly: Toyota Motor Corporation
- Best Dream Machine: Jaguar XKR, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
and Porsche 911 Turbo
The Seven Least-Safe Cars of 2007
Finally, Forbes conducted an analysis to come up with the
least-safe cars of 2007. Their conclusions are based on a
car's accident-avoidance features, results of crash tests,
and real-world data (the rates of injury claims filed per
vehicle). The least-safe cars that made their list are:
- Toyota Corolla (four-door, without optional side airbags)
- Chevrolet Cobalt (four-door, without optional side airbags)
- Ford Focus (four-door, without optional side airbags)
- Mazda3 (four-door, without optional side airbags)
- Saturn Ion (four-door, with or without optional side airbags)
- Suzuki Aerio four-door
- Suzuki Forenza four-door
Recommended Reading
The
Safest & Least-Safe Cars of 2006
Extreme
Driving Situation Programs on the Rise in Response to #1 Cause
of Teen Death: Teen Driving
Sources
Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety (IIHS)
National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
MotorWeek
Drivers' Choice Awards
Forbes.com
Freep.com
February 13, 2007