The Auto Channel
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The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Additional Information on IIHS High-Speed Crash Tests Released

MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio, March 20 - You're shopping for a new car and you've narrowed your choice down to two. How do you decide? Will you pick the one that costs a little less or the one with the CD changer? You might also want to consider how they perform in high-speed crash tests. Cars that perform well in crash tests can be safer and cost less to insure. Progressive , one of the nation's largest auto insurance companies, helps consumers become better car shoppers by giving them access to full- motion video of the latest forty mile an hour, high-speed frontal offset crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) available on its Web site, progressive.com. All tests conducted by IIHS since November 2000 are also archived on the site. To view the crash tests, visit http://www.progressive.com/RC/VSafety/rc_crash_videos.asp .

The videos released today are the high-speed crash tests for the 2002 models of three small cars and one minivan whose low-speed bumper test results were released last week -- the Subaru Impreza, Mitsubishi Lancer and Volvo S40 and the Kia Sedona minivan. Today's videos also include tests of the newly designed Dodge Ram pickup. All three small cars received good crashworthiness ratings, with the Impreza and Lancer earning ``best pick'' designations. The Sedona was rated acceptable overall and the Dodge Ram's performance made significant improvement over the previous model year, earning a ``good'' rating.

``Buying a new car is a personal as well as a financial decision. Safety is important and we want to help consumers make smart decisions about the car they buy,'' said Toby Alfred, site manager, progressive.com. ``Cars that perform well in high-speed crash tests can keep drivers and their families safer by minimizing injuries, which can also mean lower medical costs. And lower overall claims costs help keep insurance rates down for all consumers.''