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Three Acura models earned the highest safety ratings from one of the leading vehicle safety organizations.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave its “Top Safety Pick+” award to the 2022 Acura MDX, 2022 RDX and 2022 TLX models.
“Manufacturers deserve congratulations for the steady improvements they have made since we last updated our award requirements. But it is no time for anybody to rest on their laurels”, said IIHS President David Harkey.
Top Safety Pick+ designates vehicles must receive the highest possible rating of “Good” in all six of the IIHS stringent crash tests. They must achieve a “Good” evaluation for upgraded headlights to be named a “Top Safety Pick Plus.”
The bulk of an IIHS safety rating comes from crash testing with front crash tests involving a vehicle traveling toward a rigid barrier at 40mph and test dummies sized to represent the 50th percentile of the male body.
Side tests are conducted with a 3,300-Ib SUV-shaped barrier colliding with the driver’s side of the vehicle at 31 mph.
All three Acura vehicles are fitted with automated safety and driver-assisted AcuraWatch technological add-ons and earned “Superior” ratings in vehicle-to-vehicle frontal collision prevention.
Driving assistance and safety features associated with AcuraWatch are standard on every Acura sedan and SUV.
These wide-ranging set of safety and driver-assisting technologies include:
- Collision Mitigation Braking system using radar and camera visual alerts
- Adaptive Cruise Control and Acura’s Lane Keeping Assist
- Jewel Eye LED Headlights
- Advanced Compatibility Engineering construction built to reduce or disperse force from frontal crashes and create crumple zones to protect occupants
By 2023, vehicles will earn a top Good score in a tougher side impact test to be a “Top Safety Pick+” and at least an Acceptable score to be a “Top Safety Pick.”
The new test is designed to replicate a higher-speed impact with a larger vehicle like a modern SUV or pickup which is presently more common on U.S. roads.
In this instance, a crash sled that weighs 880-Ib and strikes at 37 mph, an increase from 31mph will be used.
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