ARLINGTON, Va. — Among five 2005 model midsize sedans, the Audi A4 with standard side airbags and the Chevrolet Malibu equipped with
optional side airbags earn good ratings.
Not exact matches
In contrast, 7 other small SUVs
earned the lowest rating of poor — the Escape without
optional side airbags, Toyota RAV4, Suzuki Grand Vitara / Vitara / Chevrolet Tracker, Land Rover Freelander, Mitsubishi Outlander, Saturn VUE, and Honda Element.
The BMW 3 series and Audi A4 equipped with standard
side airbags and the G6 with
side airbags as
optional equipment
earn the second lowest rating for
side impact protection.
In the 2004 tests, only the previous generations of the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Chevrolet Malibu
earned good ratings when tested with
side airbags, which then were
optional equipment.
The Chevrolet Malibu with
optional side airbags (right)
earns this designation for
side impact crash test performance.
When the Institute tested the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu with
optional side airbags, the car
earned an acceptable rating.
This kept the 2004 Malibu with the
optional curtain
airbags from
earning a good rating in the
side impact test.»
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Toyota Camry and Honda Accord equipped with
optional side airbags are the only inexpensive midsize cars to
earn good ratings in
side impact crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
(Note: The Ford Five Hundred with
optional side airbags was tested last year and
earned a good rating.
The Fusion without
optional side airbags is rated poor for
side crash protection, and it
earned a marginal rating for rear crash protection.
The Ford Fusion, tested without its
optional side airbags,
earned the lowest overall ratings.
The 2004 Toyota RAV4 equipped with
optional side airbags is the first vehicle to
earn good ratings and «best pick» designations for both front and
side impact crash tests conducted by IIHS — a «double best pick.»
The 2005 Ford Escape also
earned a good rating, but only when it's equipped with
optional side airbags.