car crash

10 Out of 13 Midsize Cars Earn Good Ratings in New Passenger-Side Crash Test

Vehicles will need a good or acceptable passenger-side rating to qualify for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's 2018 Top Safety Pick award

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has developed a new crash test program to address passenger-side airbag systems, saying that automobile manufacturers were not prioritizing the safety of front-seat passengers as much as drivers.

The new "small overlap front crash test" sends only part of the front of a vehicle into a barrier, mimicking a collision with another vehicle or a tree. 

It resulted in 10 out of the 13 midsize vehicles earning good ratings. Among them were the Ford Fusion, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima. A good or acceptable passenger-side rating will be required to qualify for the Institute’s 2018 Top Safety Pick award.

The Vokswagen Passat and the Chevy Malibu, on the other hand, had marginal ratings due to insufficient airbag protection. 

"The restraint system didn't do a good job of protecting the dummy's head from contacting the dash," senior research engineer Becky Mueller said in a statement.

NBC reached out to Volkswagen and Chevrolet for comment.

For the full crash results, click here

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