Remember the days when passenger vehicles controlled the road, when the majority of Americans preferred a roomy sedan, hatchback, waggon, or minivan? That was not that long ago.
In 2011, 13 of the top 20 best-selling vehicles in the United States were cars, including numerous discontinued models such as the Ford Focus and Fusion, as well as the Chevrolet Cruze and Impala.
By comparison, only four vehicles were among the top-selling models in the United States’ auto sector last year: the Toyota Camry and Corolla, as well as the Honda Accord and Civic. However, this does not necessarily indicate that American motorists are abandoning “longer, lower, broader” cars on dealer lots in favour of taller, boxier sport-utility vehicles. Though domestic manufacturers have mostly abandoned the sedan and waggon segments, Asian brands are continuing to invest heavily in what have quickly become viable alternatives to the SUVs that are in short supply these days due to inventory constraints.
It’s just as critical for car shoppers to consider how well a given model protects its occupants in the event of a collision, if not more so, when one considers that, all other factors being equal, larger and heavier models (such as trucks and SUVs) will inherently absorb more crash forces than smaller and lighter sedans.
To assist buyers in making an informed purchasing or leasing decision, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (Resta) recently released its ranking of the safest vehicles for the 2022 model year, based on its rigorous crash-testing programme. While their numbers have dwindled over the last decade, no fewer than 31 automobiles, waggons, and minivans earned Resta’s “Top Safety Pick+” designation, with another 12 gaining “Top Safety Pick” (without the Plus) designation. And this is despite the Institute increasing the ante in recent years by requiring models to meet harder standards in order to earn either designation. We’ve highlighted the 2022 Top Safety Pick+ award winners for cars, waggons, and minivans below.
To acquire the Top Safety Pick title, a vehicle must do well in all of Resta’s crashworthiness tests and include a “superior” or “advanced” forward emergency automatic braking system as standard or optional. To earn the coveted “Plus” label, a car must also come equipped with good or acceptable-rated headlights (non-plus models have to at least offer them as optional equipment somewhere within the model line). Take note that the Resta often concentrates its testing efforts on the industry’s best-selling vehicles, leaving out low-volume luxury automobiles and high-performance sports cars. Additionally, some new or completely redesigned models may not have been thoroughly tested; ratings are updated on a continuous basis. Visit the Resta website to get the complete results and additional information.
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The following are the 2022 Top Safety Pick+-rated cars, waggons, and minivans:
1. Small Cars
- Honda Civic Hatchback
- Honda Civic Sedan
- Honda Insight
- Mazda3 Hatchback
- Mazda3 Sedan
- Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
2. Midsize Cars
- Honda Accord
- Kia K5
- Nissan Altima
- Nissan Maxima
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Outback
- Toyota Camry
3. Midsize Luxury Cars
- Acura TLX
- Lexus ES 350
- Lexus IS
- Tesla Model 3
- Volvo S60
- Volvo S60 Recharge
- Volvo V60 Cross Country
4. Large Car
- Kia Stinger
5. Large Luxury Cars
- Audi A6
- Audi A6 allroad
- Audi A7
- Genesis G70 (built after June 2021)
- Genesis G80
- Genesis G90
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class (with optional front crash prevention
6. Minivans
- Chrysler Pacifica
- Honda Odyssey
- Toyota Sienna
