Honda Cars : Twelve American Honda Models Earn IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

12/15/2011 - TORRANCE, Calif.
Twelve American Honda models, including the all-new 2012 CR-V that goes on-sale today, received the highest possible safety rating of TOP SAFETY PICK from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) under its more-stringent testing guidelines implemented last year.
The IIHS award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting vehicle occupants involved in front, side and rear crashes, plus rollover performance based on ratings in the Institute's tests.

Announced by IIHS today, the Honda Fit, CR-Z, Insight, Accord, CR-V, Pilot and Ridgeline along with the Acura TL, TSX and MDX all earned the highest-possible score of GOOD in all four ratings, including the more rigorous roof-strength test. Earlier this year the all-new Civic and redesigned Odyssey earned the TOP SAFETY PICK, giving American Honda twelve 2012 TOP SAFETY PICK winners.

"We're proud to have achieved IIHS TOP SAFETY TOP rating for nine new 2012 Honda models and three 2012 Acura models, making American Honda among the best in the industry with twelve vehicles with top-class IIHS safety ratings under their new, more stringent ratings protocols," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "In fact, 91% of American Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. are TOP SAFETY PICKS. This accomplishment is part of a concerted effort we have made to reassert the Honda brand as a clear leader in this area."

Standard safety equipment on all Honda and Acura models include Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); side curtain airbags (some vehicles equipped with a rollover sensor as well); dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; a driver's front side airbag; and a front passenger's side airbag with an occupant position detection system. All 2012 Honda and Acura models recognized by the IIHS, with the exception of the Ridgeline, utilize the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. ACE is an exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal crashes. The ACE design utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the forces transferred to the passenger compartment.

2012 American Honda TOP SAFETY PICKS:
HondaFit
Insight
CR-Z
Civic
Accord
CR-V
Pilot
Odyssey
Ridgeline

Acura
Acura TSX
Acura TL
Acura MDX

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/twelve-american-honda-models-earn-iihs-top-safety-pick

Honda Cars : Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Nissan Juke Among I.I.H.S. Top Safety Picks | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

By CHERYL JENSEN
On Thursday, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released crash-test results for 13 small cars. Six earned top scores, bringing the total number of small cars named top safety picks by the institute to 22.

The I.I.H.S., which is funded by the insurance industry, also released a list of the 10 small cars that claim top crash-test scores as well as the highest fuel economy ratings in their class.

The six top safety picks consist of 2011 and 2012 models. They are the 2012 Ford Focus and the Honda Civic four-door, as well as the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, the Lexus CT 200h, the Nissan Juke and Toyota Prius.

Other vehicles that were tested but not named top safety picks were the 2011 Dodge Caliber, the Honda CR-Z and Insight, the Nissan Sentra and Versa, the Scion xD and Suzuki SX4.

To earn the top designation, a vehicle must receive a rating of good in all four of the institute’s crash tests: front, side, rear and rollover. Electronic stability control must be available at least as an option. The institute rates on a scale of good, acceptable, marginal and poor.

The Civic, CT 200h, Elantra, Focus and Prius are all produced with at least one model or trim level that achieves an E.P.A. fuel economy rating of at least 40 m.p.g. on the highway.

“The bottom line is that small-car safety is improving, and that many of the most fuel-efficient cars that are available today are now available with very high levels of crash protection, which wasn’t the case a few years ago,” said David Zuby, the institute’s chief research officer, in a telephone interview.

Indeed, most small cars now are equipped with air bags and electronic stability control as standard equipment, and are designed to help protect people better in front, side, rollover and rear-impact crashes.

But the laws of physics still apply, Mr. Zuby noted. People who are more interested in safety than fuel efficiency, for example, would be better served buying a larger car.

When the institute began naming top safety picks with 2006 model-year vehicles, the criteria were less stringent than today. Still, only three small cars — the Honda Civic, Saab 9-2X and Subaru Impreza — received the distinction.

The Hyundai Elantra is an example of the changes that have taken place in this segment. Now a top safety pick, it once earned some of the lowest crash test scores of any passenger vehicles.

The institute also noted that newer small cars achieved substantially better gas mileage than their old models managed.

What prevented 7 of the 13 tested small cars from earning top marks? Five received an acceptable rating in one or more of the tests. They were the Honda CR-Z and Insight, the Nissan Versa and Sentra, and the Scion xD. Meanwhile, the Suzuki SX4 received marginal ratings for rollover and rear protection. The Dodge Caliber also was deemed marginal for side protection, but acceptable in the rollover test.

None of the small cars received a rating of poor in any tests.

For complete lists, visit the I.I.H.S. Web site.

Source;
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/ford-focus-honda-civic-and-nissan-juke-among-i-i-h-s-top-safety-picks/

Honda Cars : 2011 Honda Odyssey Achieves Historic Safety Milestone | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Odyssey becomes the only minivan to earn top U.S. safety ratings from both IIHS and NHTSA under more-stringent testing guidelines

MARKHAM, ON, March 22 /CNW/ - The 2011 Honda Odyssey minivan achieved a historic safety milestone, becoming the first and only minivan to earn the highest possible U.S. safety ratings from both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under their respective more-stringent testing guidelines. No other minivan this year has received both a 2011 TOP SAFETY PICK award from IIHS and an "Overall Vehicle Score1" of five stars from NHTSA.

The Odyssey was recently named a 2011 TOP SAFETY PICK from IIHS, the U.S.-based institute's highest honour. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting vehicle occupants involved in front, side and rear crashes, plus rollover performance based on ratings in IIHS tests, as well as having a standard electronic stability control system. The Odyssey earned the highest-possible score of GOOD in all four ratings, including the more rigorous roof-strength test.

In addition to earning the TOP SAFETY PICK designation, the Odyssey was one of the first vehicles to achieve NHTSA's best-possible "Overall Vehicle Score" of five stars. The newly introduced Overall Vehicle Score is part of the U.S. government's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that is first being applied to 2011 models. The Odyssey achieved its top "Overall Vehicle Score" with five-star ratings for the frontal crash safety test and both side crash safety tests2 in all evaluated front and rear seating positions and scenarios. The Odyssey also received four stars for the rollover rating3.

All 2011 Odyssey vehicles utilize the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. ACE is an exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal crashes. The ACE design utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the forces transferred to the passenger compartment. Standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); three-row side curtain airbags with rollover sensor; dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; a driver's front side airbag; and a front passenger's side airbag with an occupant position detection system.

Overall, the Odyssey improves for the 2011 model year with greater interior functionality, a more distinctive style and higher fuel economy. Significant enhancements to the interior include a new 3-mode second-row seat design that is more comfortable for centre passengers (Odyssey EX and above). A more powerful and efficient 3.5-litre i-VTEC V-6 engine features Variable Cylinder Management (standard on all models for 2011) and produces 248 hp while delivering a city/highway/combined fuel economy of 11.7/7.2/9.7 on the LX, EX and EX-L models and 10.9/7.1/9.2 mpg on Odyssey Touring models.

New technology available on certain models includes a rear entertainment system with a 16.2-inch ultrawide split-screen display and an auxiliary High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) video input, an "intelligent" Multi-Information Display (i-MID) with customizable wallpaper and much more.

The 2011 Odyssey is truly a North American-made vehicle - designed, engineered and assembled in the U.S. The Odyssey is produced exclusively at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama using domestic and globally sourced parts.

# # #

Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Model tested with standard side-impact air bags (SABs). Vehicles tested under this program cannot be compared to model-year 2010 and earlier vehicles. Ratings can only be compared with similar ratings on model year 2011 and later vehicles if rated under the new program.

Includes a new, additional test mode for side-pole impact.
Vehicle tested includes electronic stability control as standard equipment, branded as Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) on Honda and Acura vehicles.

Source;
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2011/22/c5464.html

Honda Cars : Honda Odyssey, Safest Minivan for 2011 | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

As a testimony to the way in which Honda's new Odyssey minivan has been designed, two of America's most renowned safety organizations, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National

Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have both given the model their highest scores in the crash test conducted this year. The achievement, in the case of other models not surprising, comes to establish the Odyssey as the first and single minivan to have achieved top scores from both organizations this year.

Both of the organizations crash tested the Odyssey in the beginning of the year, but only now the Japanese car maker can safely say that their vehicle is the best in its class as far as the safety of the occupants go. The new Odyssey, launched last year, is Honda's take on a segment that, because of the competition, is growing harder and harder to control. Several important players fight for a piece of the market that stands for a whole lot more in the US than in Europe.

Honda's Odyssey, seen by the manufacturer who produces it as one of the most successful minivans it has ever made, is trying to build on the all-American appeal by being designed and engineered in the US and assembled at the Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA) plant, using mostly domestic parts.

For the new model year, Honda has tweaked the model a bit, adding little extras like a more powerful 3.5l i-VTEC V6 engine (248 hp), a new 3-mode second-row seat design or a rear entertainment system with a 16.2-inch ultrawide split-screen display.

Source;
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/honda-odyssey-safest-minivan-for-2011-33127.html