Every Subaru a Top Safety Pick

SYDNEY – November 19, 2009: The United States Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has rated every Subaru in the North American range a “Top Safety Pick.”

The IIHS, a respected consumer watchdog organisation that independently assesses current vehicles for effective occupant protection, gave the coveted Top Safety Pick rating to new generation Legacy (known in Australia as Liberty), Outback, Forester, Impreza and Tribeca.

It makes Subaru the only company with an IIHS winner in all four vehicle classes in which it competes.

The number of awards handed out by the IIHS in the most recent test round decreased because, for the first time, good performance in a roof strength test to measure protection in a rollover was required to win.

Top Safety Pick recognises vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rear, and now rollover crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests. Winners also must have electronic stability control, which research shows significantly reduces crash risk.

"With the addition of our new roof strength evaluation, our crash test results now cover all four of the most common kinds of crashes," says Institute President Adrian Lund. "Consumers can use this list to zero in on the vehicles that are on the top rung for safety."

In all Subaru models, the foundation for outstanding occupant protection is the advanced ring-shaped reinforcement frame body structure that disperses collision energy around and away from occupants.

This design forms a series of rings around the passenger compartment, providing protection in a variety of collision types. High-tension steel side-impact door beams and impact-absorbing foam materials enhance side-impact safety performance.

Standard passive safety technology includes the Subaru advanced frontal air bag system (SRS), driver and front passenger seat-mounted side-impact air bags, and standard side curtain air bags.

Meanwhile, the IIHS has named new Legacy as one of only two cars tested that received a rating of "acceptable" in recent tests to assess how well bumpers resist expensive damage in minor collisions.

The IIHS evaluated 17 midsize cars and rated 15 of them as marginal or poor for bumper protection.

According to IIHS findings, a design improvement to the Legacy bumper makes the cost of repairing minor bumper damage less than half of that expected with the previous model. The 2010 Legacy's front reinforcement bar is a little taller, more than 15 cm wider, and more than 3.8cm higher off the ground.

This kept the Legacy's bumper engaged with the barrier during the test, preventing it from sliding underneath. In addition, the bumper bar extends to the corners to help protect headlights and fenders.

"The Legacy's performance shows what automakers can do when they pay attention to damage prevention in the low-speed crashes that happen every day," said Institute Senior Vice President Joe Nolan. "The Legacy leapfrogs the competition for bumper protection. These common sense bumper changes will help keep repair costs down in low-speed crashes."

Legacy is only the fifth car ever to earn an acceptable rating for its bumpers from the IIHS. Legacy is also the first car the Institute has tested that limits damage to the bumper system in all four tests, and the first car with all four damage estimates under $1,000 USD.

The Institute rates bumpers good, acceptable, marginal, or poor based on performance in four tests-front and rear full-width impacts at approximately 10 km/h, and front and rear corner impacts at approximately 5 km/h. Each vehicle is run into a steel barrier that mimics the design of a car bumper, with the barrier's plastic absorber and flexible cover simulating typical cars' energy absorbers and plastic bumper covers. These tests are designed to drive bumper improvements that lead to better damage resistance in real-world crashes.

For more information about IIHS safety testing, and test results for the full line of Subaru vehicles, visit the IIHS website at www.iihs.org.