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Four More 2013 Vehicles Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick


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SEE ALSO: New Car Buyers Guide

Arlington, VA September 6, 2012; The Acura ILX, a small luxury car; Ford Escape, a small SUV; and Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ, both small two-door cars, earn the Institute's top award for good performance in the moderate overlap frontal, side, rollover and rear impact evaluations. All are 2013 models.

The redesigned Escape improves on the performance of the previous generation model which was rated only marginal (poor for the hybrid) for roof strength in rollover crashes.

Top Safety Picks for 2012

Criteria: The Institute rates vehicles good, acceptable, marginal, or poor based on performance in high-speed front and side crash tests, a rollover test, plus evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries in rear impacts. To earn Top Safety Pick for 2012 a vehicle must have good ratings in all four Institute tests.

However, don't compare ratings across vehicle size groups because size and weight influence occupant protection in serious crashes. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford more protection than smaller, lighter ones. Top Safety Picks are the best vehicle choices for safety within size categories, but this doesn't mean a small car that's a Top Safety Pick affords more protection than a bigger car that doesn't earn the award.

2012 Top Safety Picks (as of September 7, 2012)
2012 are 2012 models, unless otherwise noted