Safety Counts: IIHS Names 115 Top Vehicle Picks For 2012
Not too long ago, safety ratings were details that only the most meticulous (and safety-minded) new-car shoppers paid attention to. But today, new-car shoppers expect top safety as a given; frankly, it’s the price of entry for a family vehicle. And for 2012, those new priorities are showing: There are a whopping 115 Top Safety Picks—vehicles that get top scores across the board in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) test categories.
According to the organization, 97 models that received the accolade last year carry over with it in 2012, while there are 18 new Top Safety Pick recipients for 2012.
Since electronic stability control is now required by the federal government for all new vehicles, the IIHS has dropped the feature as one of the requirements for Top Safety Pick Status. Now, it simply looks for top ‘good’ scores in all four of its test categories: frontal offset, side impact, roof strength, and rear crash (seat-based).
One differentiator: roof strength
The most recently introduced test is the roof strength category, for which the IIHS pushes a metal plate against one side of the roof at a particular rate, to see how much weight can be applied before the roof reaches five inches of crush. To get a ‘good’ rating in the test, it should withstand four times the vehicle’s weight—which corresponds to a much better chance of survival in a rollover crash.
The IIHS notes that their Top Safety Pick list still includes no small pickups—they tend to fare poorly in the roof strength test. But the Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, and Honda Ridgeline are Top Safety Picks.
Plenty of safe and fuel-efficient picks
Those with high gas mileage (or plugging in) in mind have plenty of choices, though. The Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, along with the new Toyota Prius V, all also get the top nod. So do several minicars: the Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, and Toyota Yaris. The Fiat 500 was recently given a federal (NHTSA) combined safety score of just three (out of five) stars, however.
Subaru remains the only automaker with a full line of Top Safety Pick vehicles, while Toyota, Lexus, and Scion have a combined 15 vehicles on the list for 2012.
The all-new 2012 Toyota Camry also broke new ground; it earned the best-selling model’s first Top Safety Pick accolade ever, joining a long list of mid-size sedans—most of that market segment, really.
Click to the next page to see the new Top Safety Picks for 2012, listed by their individual IIHS vehicle categories. To see the full list of 2012 IIHS Top Safety Picks, see the vehicle safety ratings over at the Institute’s site. And to help you pick out the best of the best, we’d strongly recommend you also check out the federal crash-test results.
Toyota Camry, Audi S8: Top Targets For Car Theft
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released new data on U.S. car theft, and the statistics aren't especially surprising. According to the report, more Toyota Camrys were stolen than any other vehicle in America, but performance models like the Audi S8 actually had the highest rate of theft.
The data comes from 2009 (the NHTSA is still crunching numbers from 2010), and if you're the sort of person who enjoys poring over spreadsheets, this is a fascinating way to spend your Friday afternoon. The NHTSA ranked vehicles according to their rates of theft, and at the very top of the list, we find the 2009 Audi S8.
If you own a 2009 S8, however, you likely weren't a victim: just two of the 227 units manufactured that year were stolen. However, because the NHTSA ranks vehicles by their rate of theft per 1,000 vehicles produced, the S8's theft rate is magnified to 8.81. A similar effect put the 2009 Ford Shelby GT and 2009 BMW M5 in the #2 and #3 spots, with five and two thefts, respectively.
In terms of sheer volume, though, more 2009 models of the Toyota Camry/Solara were stolen than any other car produced that year. That's probably to be expected, though, because more 2009 Toyota Camrys and Solaras were manufactured than any other car: in all, thieves drove off with 781 of the 447,882 units Toyota made. Because of the high production rate, though, the theft rate for the Camry/Solara was just 1.74 per 1,000.
Clocking in at #2 was another Toyota -- the 2009 Corolla -- with 632 of 363,515 units stolen. The 2008 Chevrolet Impala came in at #3, with 499 units stolen out of 183,769 produced.
That said, there were plenty of 2009 models that thieves missed altogether. Some are no-brainers, like the 2009 Bentley Azure (just 66 units produced), the 2009 Lotus Exige (27 produced), and the 2009 Spyker C8 (18 produced). Others are a little more curious: for example, despite being fairly popular rides, no baddies thought to nab a 2009 Mazda Miata (4,293 produced) or a 2009 Volvo XC90 (6,806 produced)?
CONCLUSIONS
As with any compilation of data, this one raises as many questions as it answers. For example, since calendar years and model years don't neatly align, we have to wonder how many 2009 models were stolen in 2008? Or in 2010, for that matter? Is the 2009 Camry more desirable than other model years? And what about trucks and SUVs, which were mostly left off the NHTSA's list?
One thing we know for sure is that car theft rates are slipping. In 2009, the average was 1.33 vehicles stolen per 1,000. That's down 21.3% from the rate of 1.69 thefts per 1,000 that the NHTSA recorded in 2008.
Why the drop? The NHTSA attributes it to "increased use of standard antitheft devices (i.e., immobilizers), vehicle parts marking, increased and improved prosecution efforts by law enforcement organizations and increased public awareness measures".
But what about you: have bad guys (or gals) tried to run off with your car? Were they successful? And if not, why not? Drop us a line with the details, or leave a note in the comments section below.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Hyundai Takes A Strong Lead In Sales-Weighted Fuel Economy
The 2011 Toyota Prius remains the highest-mileage gasoline non-plug-in vehicle on the U.S. market, at an EPA-rated 51 mpg city, 48 highway, but when you look at sales-weighted averages, the fleet of new cars that Hyundai is selling, as a whole, beats that of Toyota.
The sales and pricing data experts at TrueCar, using official U.S. EPA ratings, along with estimated and/or actual monthly sales data, crunched the numbers, and found that over the past year, Toyota's average fuel economy has gone down—to 23.8 this past month, versus 24.8 in February of 2010.
All other major automakers boosted their average sales-weighted fuel economy, with Ford gaining 1.5 mpg and Hyundai 1.3 mpg higher than last year. Nissan and General Motors, at 1.2 and 0.8 mpg, respectively, also posted gains ahead of the 0.7-mpg average improvement.
Hyundai emerged securely on top among full-line automakers, with a 26.6-mpg sales-weighted average this past month that's way ahead of the industry sales-weighted average of 22.2 mpg (considering cars and trucks combined). That's likely due mostly to two of its new sedan models, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra and 2011 Hyundai Sonata, which both get among the best numbers in their classes. The Elantra gets 29 mpg city, 40 highway in all versions, not just with a high-mileage package, and the Sonata gets up to 24/35 in non-hybrid form.
Hyundai's solid first-place performance follows a challenge that Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik issued last month—for automakers to issue a monthly sales-data-weighted average mileage.
That said, it's worth mentioning that Hyundai isn't quite a full-line automaker to the extent of Toyota—or even Honda. While Toyota sells several truck-based SUVs (the Land Cruiser, 4Runner, Lexus GX 460 and Lexus LX 570) as well as Toyota Tundra and Tacoma pickups, and Honda has its Ridgeline pickup, Hyundai currently has no equivalent. Though it does have its V-8-powered Genesis and Equus luxury sedans.
Chrysler ranks at the bottom, averaging just 19.5 mpg on a sales-weighted basis. U.S. manufacturers together boosted their average fuel economy from 19.4 mpg on average last February up to an average of 20.5 mpg this February.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
NHTSA: Toyota Electronics Have No ‘Sudden Acceleration’ Fault
So-called 'sudden acceleration' has a long and unfortunate history, almost destroying Audi sales in the mid-1980s after 60 Minutes accused the Audi 5000 of accelerating out of control at random.
Now, as previewed a few weeks ago, an NHTSA report finds no electronic cause for the phenomenon--and suggests that in the cases that involve Toyota vehicles fitted with event data recorders, or 'black boxes,' the accidents have been due to driver error.
Black boxes: No braking
Starting in 2007, various Toyota models have been fitted with black boxes that record a few seconds of the car's control inputs once an airbag has been deployed.
While this limits the number of accidents that can be analyzed, the results are still revealing. Of 58 data recorders analyzed by teams from both the NHTSA and Toyota, 35 showed that when the crash occurred, the brake pedal was not depressed at all.
Another 14 showed only partial braking, and 9 more indicated braking only just before the accident. The report said brakes were pressed and released, or both brake and accelerator were pressed together, in a handful of crashes.
Drivers may not actually know what pedal they're pressing during an emergy, explains Richard Schmidt, a psychology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.
In an article in The New York Times, Schmidt noted that "sudden acceleration is very often caused by drivers who press the gas pedal when they intend to press the brake."
Only a subset of crashes
A plaintiff-lawyers' group, on the other hand, scoffed at the notion that the report exonerated Toyota in any way. It noted two concerns with the data presented from the subset of cases that involved event data recorders.
First, the NHTSA report does not address many of the complaints that occurred in pre-2007 cars and, second, many of the crashes occurred at speeds too low to trigger the airbag, meaning no data was recorded.
While the report may help allay concerns of widespread software flaws in Toyotas, the company is still dealing with recalls stemming from two known issues that have contributed to a small number of cases not attributed to driver error.
Two known causes
Those are "sticky" accelerator pedals that may rust to the point where they don't return to idle, and fitting of unapproved or aftermarket floor mats that can wedge accelerator pedals to the floor if they shift out of position.
In the case of the sticky pedals, attributed to an unapproved materials substitution by a U.S. parts supplier, Toyota has recalled the affected vehicles and is replacing the accelerator mechanism.
As for the floor-mat problem--believed to be the cause of a horrific crash last year in which a California Highway Patrol officer and his family were killed when their Lexus crashed and burned after accelerating to high speed--Toyota is shortening accelerator pedals in the affected vehicles so they cannot be entrapped no matter what floor mats are fitted.
Almost 10 million recalled
In the last year, Toyota has recalled 9.4 million vehicles worldwide to fix these two issues, including 7.5 million in the U.S.
An NHTSA statement carefully notes that the agency has "drawn no conclusions about additional causes of unintended acceleration in Toyotas beyond the two defects already known: pedal entrapment and sticky pedals."
And the agency stressed it is continuing to investigate the accidents, as is Toyota itself. The agency and NASA are testing whether electromagnetic radiation may interfere with vehicle electronics, bombarding vehicles with EMR at a Chrysler test facility.
For more information on those causes and Toyota's responses, see our summary, Toyota And Lexus Recall: Everything You Need To Know, which provides full details on the two largest recalls in North America to address accelerator pedal issues.
[Automotive News (subscription required), Detroit News]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
No Clear Successor To Town Car And Crown Vic In Fleets
Taxi-cab companies, police forces, and executive-car services will soon be left scrambling for vehicles. That's because, after years of speculation about the matter, Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) is expected to discontinue its large, body-on-frame, rear-wheel-drive sedans about a year from now.
After a 30-plus-year run with the same basic mechanical underpinnings—and only one major redesign, for 1992, the Crown Victoria has been a staple for cab companies and police forces; while the related Lincoln Town Car has long been a favorite of livery companies (it makes up 75 percent of those fleets).
In New York leading contenders in the taxi fleet include the Ford Escape and Toyota Sienna, as well as the Toyota Prius.
Ford stopped offering the Crown Victoria to all but fleet customers back in 2008, but it's continued to sell its sibling, the Mercury Grand Marquis, in model years since.
These large sedans remained so popular for so long for several important reasons, including pillowy ride quality, a roomy back seat, a huge trunk, a good safety record, low repair costs, and longevity. It wasn't unusual to see well-kept vehicles in some fleets with more than 400,000 miles on the clock.
Pending federal fuel economy rules might have something to do with Ford's decision not to continue making these sedans which, this writer has previously been told have a rather high profit margin. The 2010 Lincoln Town Car and the 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis are rated at an EPA 16 mpg city, 24 highway.
About 25 years ago, as old Checker Marathon cabs were being retired, taxi fleets grew to favor the Crown Victoria. Other rivals at the time included GM's full-size cars like the Caprice, though that model suffered from an ill-received refresh in the 1990s and was discontinued shortly thereafter.
Chrysler has been offering an increasingly popular Dodge Charger Police edition, but these models haven't caught on in other fleets. Ford has been working on a new rear-wheel-drive platform related to that in the Mustang, and suggested with this 2007 Ford Interceptor Concept, but company finances and fuel economy spikes were factors that led to the project's demise.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2011 Toyota Sienna, Avalon Named IIHS Top Safety Picks
Toyota's seen a lot of scrutiny in recent months for its numerous safety-related recalls. But it should also be commended for earning top marks for occupant protection. In the latest round of crash-testing, two new 2011-model-year Toyota vehicles earned the Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS): the 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan and 2011 Toyota Avalon sedan.
In order to be named a Top Safety Pick, vehicles must achieve top 'good' ratings in frontal, side, and rear crash protection, as well as the new rollover (roof crush) test. They must also include electronic stability control.
Although the Sienna's test results earned it nothing but top ratings—even in all subcategories—the Avalon's top rating wasn't completely perfect. The few exceptions—in the 'acceptable,' rather than 'good' category—were right leg protection (potential injuries to the knee) in the frontal crash, and torso (potential rib fractures) in the side test. The IIHS points to a low risk of injuries in other body regions.
The Sienna is the only minivan to have earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick designation since the Institute phased in the rollover portion. In the new test, the Sienna was able to withstand a force of 4.12 times its weight—far better than the current federal minimum standard of 1.5 times. In the same test, the Avalon was able to take an also-impressive 4.07 times its weight.
Also tested in this group was the 2010 Lexus RX (including the RX 350 and RX 400h). Like the Sienna, the 2010 RX achieved top 'good' ratings in all subcategories, and managed an even more impressive 4.27 times its weight in that new roof-crush test.
[IIHS]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Frugal Shopper: The Ten Most Discounted Hybrid Models
If you're considering one of many hybrid models but think that there are no deals to be had on green vehicles, now would be the time to think again—and potentially head out shopping in the near future.
Data from the pricing-intelligence firm TrueCar shows that a lot of hybrid models are selling for well under sticker price. Surprisingly, for instance, dealers are typically lopping ten percent off the 2010 Mercedes-Benz ML450 Hybrid, while the 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid is getting, on average, more than five grand taken off its $27,500 sticker.
Based on thousands of transactions in January and February of 2010, TrueCar has calculated its most deeply discounted 2010 hybrid models. Please note that these are on a national average and significant regional variations exist in hybrid vehicle demand, then page through for the list, with some comments based on the firsthand experiences of TheCarConnection.com editors.
Toyota Hybrid Concept Confirmed for 2010 Detroit Auto Show
Toyota has confirmed it will show a new hybrid car concept at the Detroit auto show next month. And hybrid followers are eagerly speculating what it might be: a two-door Prius? a hybrid Yaris? a 2011 Scion iQ hybrid? or a dedicated plug-in hybrid?
The king of hybrids says you'll have to wait a month until you see the latest gas-electric vehicle. Toyota says its newest hybrid-car concept will bow at the 2010 North American International Auto Show, at a press conference on Monday, January 11.
Toyota hasn't confirmed any other details, but the automaker has been widely expected to counter the 2010 Honda Insight with a new vehicle that's less expensive and less complex than its 2010 Toyota Prius. The Prius carries a base price of $22,400, while the Insight has a base price of $19,800. This could be accomplished with a new-generation Yaris with hybrid power.
However, Toyota's also said to be working on a two-door hybrid, a further development of the Prius architecture. The new hybrid could be a two-door Prius coupe, that would compete with the 2011 Honda CR-Z being readied for the U.S. market.
A more extreme possibility: a hybrid version of the 2011 Scion iQ city car we showed you last week thrashing around a holiday-congested parking lot.
Perhaps the most exciting option of all: a dedicated plug-in hybrid, with a new shape distinct from the Prius, based on the plug-in version of its Hybrid Synergy Drive it's now testing in 600 Prius Plug-In Hybrid models. Toyota said this morning it will sell a plug-in hybrid to consumers starting in 2011.
We'll have more on the new Toyota hybrid as details emerge; stay with us as High Gear Media covers the 2010 Detroit auto show over the holidays and covers it live starting January 10.
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid: Honest-To-Goodness 40-MPG Mid-Sizer
While Toyota and Honda have laid claim on most of the lofty fuel economy figures in the 40-mpg and above range in recent years, Ford now has serious bragging rights in its 2010 Fusion Hybrid.
The 2010 Fusion Hybrid slots closely behind the 2010 Toyota Prius and 2010 Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid in Combined miles per gallon and actually rates above the two Hondas in City driving—meaning at 41 mpg it's to the best of our knowledge the second-most fuel-efficient 2010 model in City driving.
What makes the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid all the more respectable is that it's a roomy mid-size sedan.
TheCarConnection.com just drove a 2010 Fusion Hybrid for a week and reports that the 41-mpg rating is entirely achievable—while, within reason, driving it just as you would any other sedan.
Most hybrids will more reliably return their posted fuel economy figures if you're willing to sacrifice comfort (by turning off the climate control) or learn to drive in a specific, erratic albeit slow, way that's tough to maintain, especially if you're in traffic. Over a week and about 160 miles of driving—most of it in relatively short errands—we made no effort to drive gently or 'game the system,' averaging nearly 40 mpg in the Fusion Hybrid. That's much better than the 34 or so we've managed in comparable conditions a few years ago in the Toyota Camry Hybrid, which has roughly the same weight, hybrid system, and engine size.
Admittedly, it's a bit lower than the 53 miles per gallon we averaged in a Toyota Prius over 140 miles and the 45-mpg average we saw in the Honda Insight over about 200 miles. The weather was quite a bit cooler this past week when driving the Fusion Hybrid than it had been earlier this summer when drove both the Insight and Prius back to back, but to be fair the Fusion's air conditioning was on a lot less than in the other two.
Taking the Fusion Hybrid on a familiar 38-mile loop that includes a mix of suburban stoplights, low-speed urban driving, and about a ten-mile stint on the Interstate, I quite strictly followed the green EV range bar just to the left of the speedometer. Quite possibly the best, most useful gauge we've seen on a hybrid vehicle yet, the flexible bar shows at any moment how much more throttle you have in EV range before the gasoline engine kicks on. This time watching this carefully, driving gently, and trying to keep the gasoline engine off as much as possible—and applying some tricks we've learned from the Prius, like "pulse and glide," I averaged nearly 50 mpg (49.6 to be exact).
Of note to families and occasional road-trippers is that the 2010 Fusion Hybrid is a much more substantial car than the Prius, with a supple, settled ride, a roomy back seat, and great roadholding at Interstate speeds. The steering is well weighted and isn't at all discouraging when the road turns curvy. However at about 3,720 pounds the Hybrid is more than 400 pounds heavier than a base Fusion S four-cylinder (heavier than the V-6, too), so it doesn't feel quite as frisky as the non-hybrid versions. It's still reasonably quick, with 0-60 times happening in the 8.5-second range according to several independent tests.
The two sources—a 156-horsepower, 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine and a 106-hp AC motor—seamlessly deliver power to the front wheels through a planetary gear set and continuously variable automatic, making 191 hp altogether.
Ford has done an excellent job with refinement for this hybrid powertrain. If you have the sound system turned up even a bit and you aren't looking at the gauges, it's easy to miss exactly when the gasoline engine starts up and when you're cruising on electric power alone. In the 2010 Toyota Prius, the Camry Hybrid, and even the new 2010 Lexus HS 250h, the gasoline engine creates more of a physical disruption when it starts; and even when you accelerate the Fusion Hybrid quickly the engine is a little coarse but still well isolated.
The verdict, emphasizing powertrain here, is that most drivers are bound to see great mileage figures from the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and it feels just as refined, smooth, and responsive as a non-hybrid sedan. The hybrid system might not be as easy to 'game' for those high-mpg numbers, but it's better optimized for the way people drive in the real world. Drive it like any car and you're likely to approach—if not exceed—40 mpg.
Tomorrow we'll bring you the rest of our thoughts on the Fusion Hybrid—with more on the features, the value equation, plus details on the great display panel and some picks and pans regarding the cabin of this mid-size, high-mileage sedan.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Compact Owners Want Higher MPG, Unwilling To Downsize Again
American shoppers want more fuel-efficient future cars, but they might not be willing to downsize very much—or do without the features of larger vehicles.
That's what the latest study from the California-based market-research firm AutoPacific indicates. As part of a study called "Small Cars in the USA Planning for the Coming Boom," the firm used data from its annual new-car survey, this time including responses from more than 32,000 U.S. new-vehicle buyers. From these responses, the AutoPacific singled out those who either currently own small or mid-size cars or will consider a compact vehicle next time.
The company found that owners of the smallest models, including the Chevrolet Aveo, Honda Fit, and Toyota Yaris, wanted better acceleration, more tech features, and increased cargo space—but they typically aren't willing to go smaller than what they have today. "Tomorrow's successful small car won't be tiny," said AutoPacific president George Peterson, in a release. "It will be reasonably sized, have increased fuel economy, adequate performance, and a full load of customer features."
"When they bought these cars they accepted lower power and cargo room for better fuel economy and a high value price," said Peterson, "but in the future they want something more—bigger, faster, and with more bells and whistles."
Peterson noted that in the firm's most recent Motorist Choice Awards, 106 of the top 107 vehicles were large cars, luxury vehicles, SUVs, crossovers, or minivans, with the BMW 1-Series the only small car ranking in the top 100.
Dan Hall, AutoPacific's vice president, pointed out to TheCarConnection.com that as the entire market has shifted upward in size, today's compacts are yesterday's mid-size cars; rather than actual downsizing, this accounts for much of the growth in the compact segment. "All the models that were considered small before aren't now," commented Hall, referring to today's Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, both roomy cars that approach the dimensions of the mid-size Accord and Camry just over a decade ago. Likewise, the 2011 Ford Fiesta that's expected next year will be about the size of the former Ford Escort.
This migration of small-car owners into larger, more luxurious vehicles isn't a new trend, but it underlines that the movement to downsize isn't as significant as some have pronounced. The small-car market is expected to remain strong for many years though, as Gen Y drivers—75 million strong—shop for their first new cars. By and large, they'll be looking toward smaller, more modestly priced vehicles.
Small-car models that do better will be those that have sets of features and options comparable to those of larger cars, Hall says.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
