The mid-size crossover SUV doesn’t defend rear passengers in addition to entrance occupants in crashes, in accordance with the most recent crash-test outcomes from the Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security (IIHS) launched Tuesday.

Solely 4 of the 13 mid-size and three-row crossover SUVs examined by the IIHS earned prime “Good” ends in the up to date check. These automobiles have been the Ford Explorer, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Subaru Ascent, and Tesla Mannequin Y.

The Chevy Traverse, Toyota Highlander, and Volkswagen Atlas earned “Marginal” rankings on the average entrance overlap check that simulates a head-on collision of two automobiles of comparable weight touring at slightly below 40 mph. 

The Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler four-door, Mazda CX-9, and Nissan Murano scored “Poor” rankings.

The replace to the IIHS’ oldest check, first launched in 1995, was launched final yr to increase passenger safety to rear occupants. The brand new check makes use of a dummy sized like a small lady or 12-year-old youngster positioned within the seat behind the motive force, the place safety has lagged not too long ago.

“All these automobiles present wonderful safety for the motive force,” IIHS President David Harkey mentioned in an announcement. “However solely a handful
lengthen that degree of security to the again seat.”

2022 Tesla Mannequin Y, IIHS entrance overlap check outcomes

2022 Tesla Mannequin Y, IIHS entrance overlap check outcomes

2022 Honda Pilot, IIHS entrance overlap check

2022 Honda Pilot, IIHS entrance overlap check

Traditionally, rear-seat occupants have been cushioned from entrance crashes by the entrance seats and the entrance crumple zone. Since mannequin yr 2007 onward, nonetheless, the IIHS discovered that deadly harm is 46% greater for belted occupants within the rear seat than these within the entrance seat.

The rear seat hasn’t grow to be any much less unsafe, however security advances to entrance seat occupants has grown attributable to airbags, restraint applied sciences, and different areas of focus that the IIHS needs to see utilized to the rear seats. 

“Zeroing in on weaknesses in rear seat security is a chance to make large positive factors in a short while, since options which can be already confirmed to work within the entrance can efficiently be tailored for the rear,” IIHS Senior Analysis Engineer Marcy Edwards mentioned in an announcement. 

Lately, automotive cabins have included extra inflexible crumple zones so there’s much less deformation from a entrance crash within the passenger cabin.

The up to date check was launched final yr and first utilized to the preferred automobile section of compact crossovers. Most small crossovers—9 out of 15 examined—failed to guard rear passengers. 

The front-overlap check stays the identical, however the further dummy will get examined for extreme danger of harm to the pinnacle, neck, chest, stomach, or thigh. Chest accidents have been a selected focus since they’re the commonest critical harm within the rear seat for adults. It additionally checks to see if the physique “submarines” beneath the lap belt. 

The highest-rated mid-size SUVs had rear seat belts that remained in place on the pelvis, the facet curtain airbag carried out correctly, and there was no “extreme pressure on the dummy’s chest.” There was a slight danger of head harm in all however the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

In automobiles with a “Poor” score, the IIHS discovered a excessive danger of head or neck accidents to rear passengers.

IIHS entrance overlap check outcomes, mid-size SUVs

The IIHS updates its checks as extra automakers attain “Good” rankings. Final yr, the IIHS instituted a harder side-impact check to replicate the quicker speeds and heavier, taller automobiles proliferating on fashionable roadways. Due to the IIHS updates, their coveted High Security Decide awards carry extra weight than the outdated five-star NCAP checks carried out by the NHTSA. Headlight testing and computerized emergency braking have been different areas of deal with TSP standards as a result of most deadly crashes occur at night time, as do most pedestrian crashes. 

The IIHS toughened 2023 High Security Decide standards once more, partly attributable to automakers assembly extra inflexible security requirements in prior years. But visitors fatalities hit a 20-year excessive within the first half of 2022, pushed by sharp will increase in pedestrian deaths. 

Lower than half of 2022 TSP winners have certified for 2023 TSP awards, of the automobiles examined to date this yr. Many automobiles that qualify for a TSP in a single yr won’t in a subsequent yr due to the manufacturing cadence. As an example, the 2022 Honda Pilot was examined by the IIHS, not the redesigned 2023 Honda Pilot, which can have completely different outcomes. 

The brand new entrance overlap check is just not a part of the TSP standards, but. Sometimes, the IIHS introduces an up to date check and offers automakers a yr or two to handle the adjustments earlier than together with it in TSP standards.