Ten out of 18 midsize light vehicles earned "good" ratings in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's new side-impact evaluation.
IIHS updated the side test to "address higher-speed crashes that continue to cause fatalities." The new test also uses a 4,200-pound barrier striking the vehicle at 37 mph, instead of the previous 3,300-pound barrier that struck the vehicle at 31 mph. According to a news release, these changes mean the simulated crash "produces 82 percent more energy."
IIHS gave ratings of "good," "acceptable," "marginal" and "poor" to vehicles it classified as midsize.