Subaru Forester tops small SUVs in new crash test

The Subaru Forester and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport have won top honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, becoming the only small SUVs to ace the group's new "small overlap" crash test.

The Forester, which Subaru redesigned for the 2014 model year, earned Top Safety Pick+ accolades by scoring a "good" rating on the small overlap test, in which the front corner of the vehicle on the driver's side strikes a five-foot-tall barrier at 40 mph.

"With the redesigned Forester, Subaru's engineers set out to do well in our new test, and they succeeded," Joe Nolan, vice president for vehicle research at IIHS, said in a statement. "This is exactly how we hoped manufacturers would respond to improve protection for people in these kinds of serious frontal crashes."

Twenty vehicles have now received Top Safety Pick+ honors for safety in small overlap crashes, the IIHS said Thursday.

The tests -- which replicate a crash in which the corner of a car collides with an object such as a tree or pole -- are not yet included in the federal government's five-star ratings, even though researchers say they are responsible for an outsized share of driving deaths.

5 others rated 'poor'

Also praised Thursday was the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, which won Top Safety Pick+ honors but lagged the Forester with an "acceptable" score on the small overlap test.

Five small SUVs -- the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Buick Encore, Jeep Patriot and Ford Escape -- received "poor" ratings on the small overlap test.

The small crossover and SUV market is one of the auto industry's fastest-growing segments as U.S. consumers seek function, utility and enhanced fuel economy.

When the Patriot crashed, for instance, the steering wheel moved 8 inches upward and 6 inches to the right, so the crash test dummy's head was able to slide off the airbag. The side curtain airbag in the Patriot did not deploy, and the safety belt did not restrain the dummy's head and chest, the IIHS said.

RAV4 test postponed

The IIHS continues to award its Top Safety Pick honors, which do not include the small overlap test. The small SUVs to receive Top Safety Pick honors include the BMW X1, Buick Encore, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Volkswagen Tiguan and Toyota RAV4. The 2014 Patriot also qualifies, as does the 2013 Patriot when equipped with optional side torso airbags.

The RAV4, one of the top-selling crossovers in the country and redesigned for the 2013 model year, was not subjected to the new small overlap test. Toyota asked to postpone the test to make changes that will help RAV4 passengers fare better in a small overlap crash, the IIHS said.

The insurance industry-funded group has tested several batches of cars since it introduced the small overlap test last year.

David Strickland, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, told Automotive News this year that NHTSA will soon have the research it needs to decide whether to add a similar test to the agency's five-star crash test program.

(Subaru, Mitsubishi top small crossover segment in new crash test originally appeared on Automotive News, sub. req.)

By Gabe Nelson- Automotive News