Rear passenger safety lacking in 3 midsize models

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said three models performed poorly in a new rear-seat safety test of seven 2023 midsize vehicles.

The 2023 Kia K5, 2023 Volkswagen Jetta and 2023 Hyundai Sonata all received a "poor" rating in the new moderate overlap front crash test, the IIHS announced Wednesday.

In the test, the IIHS placed a dummy the size of a small woman or 12-year-old in the back seat. Measurements from these dummies in all three poorly rated vehicles showed likely head or neck and chest injuries, as well as excessive belt forces.

In the Jetta, the rear dummy's head also came too close to the front seatback, while in the K5 and Sonata the shoulder belt moved off the dummy's shoulder toward the neck.

The 2023 Honda Accord was the only model to receive a good rating, with no heightened risk of injuries measured. Rear restraints in the Accord also controlled the dummy's motion.

The 2023 Subaru Outback was rated acceptable for rear passenger safety, and the 2023 Nissan Altima and the 2023 Toyota Camry were marginal.

Dummies in almost all the vehicles tested "submarined," or slid forward beneath the lap belt, IIHS President David Harkey said. Submarining moves the belt onto the abdomen and increases the risk of internal injuries, he said.

The Accord and the Jetta were the only vehicles in which the dummy did not submarine.

All seven models demonstrated good protection in the front seat. The IIHS has found that the risk of injury is higher for rear passengers than those in the front in newer vehicles, likely a result of safety advancements in the front. The rear seat is still the safest location for young children.

The IIHS has also recently tested rear-seat safety in small cars and small trucks.