The 2021 Kia K5 mid-size sedan earned top crash-test ratings from both the NHTSA and the IIHS, and the insurance-industry funded IIHS gave it highest honors with a Top Safety Pick+ award. The redesigned sedan formerly known as the Optima earned five stars in the NHTSA's test cycle despite a...Read More»
The 2021 Lexus RX 350 luxury crossover SUV lost a star and lost some of its safety luster, based on recent crash testing conducted by the NHTSA and announced in late February. The 2021 Lexus RX had a five-star safety rating, until Lexus tweaked the front air bags in the middle of the 2021 model...Read More»
Volvo, Subaru, Mazda, and Hyundai/Kia/Genesis led all other automakers in earning Top Safety Pick awards bestowed by the IIHS, the non-profit safety group announced Wednesday. On average, safety ratings improved and the number of Top Safety Pick+ winners more than doubled from 2020. “With...Read More»
General Motors last week announced the specific model years included in its expanded recall of vehicles equipped with faulty passenger airbags. The contentious recall of nearly 6 million full-size SUVs and pickup trucks equipped with Takata airbag inflators was ordered by the NHTSA in late...Read More»
The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer mid-size crossover SUV earned "Good" safety scores across six crash tests performed by the IIHS, but missed out on a Top Safety Pick award due to subpar headlight scores, the IIHS announced Tuesday. It's the first time the Blazer has been crash tested by the...Read More»
Newer Jeep Wranglers and Gladiator pickup trucks equipped with a manual transmission have a wonky clutch plate that necessitated a recall, the NHTSA announced Monday. In paperwork filed by Jeep, the affected vehicles are said to have a clutch pressure plate that can overheat and crack. This could...Read More»
Tesla relented to the NHTSA's request to recall nearly 135,000 electric vehicles for failures of a 17-inch touchscreen in 2012-2018 Tesla Model S sedan and 2016-2018 Tesla Model X SUV. The interface can fail, resulting in a loss of the rearview camera and other "safety-related vehicle functions,"...Read More»
The 2021 Nissan Titan full-size pickup truck took a step backward in crash test ratings, but took a step forward in preventing crashes, according to the latest findings by the IIHS released on Tuesday. The nonprofit safety group funded by the insurance industry found that the Titan crew cab...Read More»
The 2013-2015 Nissan Pathfinder three-row SUV is being recalled due to relay switch issue that can leave the brake lights continually illuminated, even when drivers aren't braking, the NHTSA announced on Monday. The recall encompasses 267,276 Pathfinders in the U.S. It is an expansion of a previous...Read More»
The number of stolen cars jumped 9.2% over 2019, according to a preliminary report issued by the National Insurance Crime Bureau on Tuesday. There were 878,080 auto thefts in 2020, which is the highest number in more than a decade, and by a significant margin, NICB President David Glawe said in a...Read More»
Ford must recall 3 million older model vehicles with defective Takata airbags in the latest ruling from the NHTSA, Reuters reported on Tuesday. The NHTSA denied petitions filed by Ford and Mazda in 2017 to avoid the sweeping recall of vehicles from the 2006 to 2012 model years. The largest...Read More»
Safety might not be the sexiest attribute sought by new car shoppers, but like fuel economy, it is one of the most important. The Car Connection’s annual list of the safest cars includes vehicles that earn five-star ratings from the NHTSA, at least a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS, and come...Read More»
The Tesla Model Y compact crossover SUV aced crash tests performed by the NHTSA, the federal automotive safety agency reported Tuesday. The Model Y electric crossover earned top marks of five stars in every single crash test, including frontal, side, and rollover protection. Most crossover SUVs...Read More»
New headlights illuminated the path for two of Nissan's bestselling sedans to earn at least a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS, the automaker announced last week. The 2021 Nissan Sentra compact sedan earned a Top Safety Pick in certain trims, while the 2021 Nissan Altima mid-size sedan earned...Read More»
The redesigned 2021 Toyota Sienna hybrid minivan improves not only on fuel economy and standard features, it can withstand crashes better than the outgoing model, too, the IIHS announced Tuesday. The non-profit institute honored the 2021 Toyota Sienna with its top accolade in a Top Safety Pick+...Read More»
The redesigned 2021 Acura TLX earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS, which is the non-profit safety organization's highest honor. The IIHS cited "Good" ratings on all six crash tests, and "Superior" ratings for the mid-size sedan's ability to avoid or mitigate a crash. The 2021 Acura TLX got...Read More»
Traffic fatalities dropped 2% in 2019 despite a 1% increase in miles driven, the NHTSA confirmed last week. Pedestrian and cyclist fatalities caused by cars dropped significantly, while drunk driving related fatalities dropped to their lowest levels since 1982. The 36,096 traffic fatalities in 2019...Read More»
A joint effort by the IIHS and Consumer Reports to encourage the adoption of automatic emergency braking found that most automakers have implemented the life-saving technology on their vehicles. Some automakers, though, remain on a list of those that have not equipped most of their vehicles with...Read More»
Could child safety seat regulations act as an unintended form of birth control? That's the assertion of two professors in a study called "Car seats as contraception." First reported by The Economist this week, the study found that increasingly restrictive child car seat laws have led to fewer...Read More»
