The latest testing from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found what it calls a rare "good" rating in its new rear-seat-focused impact evaluation. That rating went to the latest Honda Accord, which outperformed its midsize sedan competition.
The IIHS is best known for its extensive crash testing that goes beyond what is required by government regulations. Good ratings are highly sought out by automakers, who are often quick to make changes whenever a new test is introduced.
This latest test is called the updated moderate overlap front test. It was introduced because IIHS research showed that front occupant safety had become so good that rear-seat passengers were now more likely to suffer a fatal injury. The test added a dummy in the back seat behind the driver the size of a "small woman or 12-year-old child." IIHS researchers designed new metrics to focus on the injuries most commonly seen in the rear seat.
According to the IIHS, the Accord "provided stellar protection in the back seat." Measurements showed no extra risk of injuries and that the rear restraints controlled the motion of the dummy.
The Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5, and Volkswagen Jetta all received a "poor" rating. The IIHS said that submarining, or sliding under the belt, was a problem in the K5 and Sonata, where the rear shoulder belt also moved toward the occupant's neck. In the Jetta, the dummy's head "came too close to the front seatback." In all three "poor" rated cars, the IIHS said measurements "indicated likely injuries to the head or neck and chest and excessive belt forces."
Subaru's Outback received an "acceptable" rating. The dummy did not show an elevated risk of injury but did submarine under the lap belt. In the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima, which received a "marginal" rating, "the rear dummy submarined beneath the lap belt, and the shoulder belt moved off the shoulder toward the dummy’s neck."
It's important to note that all seven cars earned a "good" rating for protecting front-seat passengers. Despite that disparity, the IIHS noted that the rear seat is still the best place for young children, who can be injured by an inflating front airbag.
This is the third round of IIHS testing focusing on rear-seat occupants. The first round saw only two small SUVs (the Ford Escape and Volvo XC40) earn a "good" rating with nine getting "poor." The second round was of midsized pickups where none of the five tested earned a "good" rating.
