Mazda3, Dodge Journey net IIHS Top Safety Pick ratings
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has named its latest three Top Safety Pick award winners. The models include the 2010 Dodge Journey, 2010 Lincoln MKT, and Mazda's 2010 Mazda3. All three are equipped with standard side airbags. Stability control is standard on the Dodge and Lincoln, but optional on the Mazda.
Unlike the 35 mph head-on barrier crash testing conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and its resulting 1- to 5-star ratings, the IIHS frontal test runs the driver's side of a vehicle into a deformable barrier at 40 mph and then assigns one of four ratings (Good, Acceptable, Marginal or Poor) based on occupant injury, vehicle structure integrity, and the movement of the crash dummy within the cabin. In order to earn a Top Safety Pick award, the vehicles must earn the highest ("Good") rating in the agency's frontal, side, and rear impact testing... and be equipped with electronic stability control. The IIHS tests vehicles and announces its Top Safety Picks throughout the year.
[Source: IIHS]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
artandcolour 1:53PM (9/12/2009)
i saw my first 3 Journeys on the road last week-all on the same day. i guess the clunkers program did sell some cars. it's actually quite good looking, just not cutting edge. it's tasteful though. glad to see it's safe too.
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Kumar 8:56AM (9/14/2009)
I think most would agree that the Journey looks decent if not good on the outside. It's the inside, specifically the dash that you have to look at the entire time you're inside the car, that's absolutely hideous.
I was hoping this would get an emergency interior upgrade, but it doesn't look likely.
btyler227 1:49PM (9/12/2009)
looks like the standards need to be raised.
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MazdaMatt 2:03PM (9/12/2009)
Good news for Mazda, the previous 3 scored either marginal or acceptable (not sure which) on the side crash test.
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Benfolio 2:20PM (9/12/2009)
Side airbags make everything better.
Kitko 2:51PM (9/12/2009)
Side airbags. Standard on all 3s in Europe since for ever, even 323 (Protege) had them. My mid range 2007 Mazda 3 1.6 has 8 airbags, and ESP as standard.
Zack 2:33PM (9/12/2009)
The best part about this is that a Journey was destroyed :)
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Tigre Marino 3:16PM (9/12/2009)
Dodge Journey one of the best CUV´s out there and now the safest pick. Hope it improves sales. Proudly built in Toluca, Mexico.
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Trent 3:51PM (9/12/2009)
I love to see Mazda raise their game and make the Mazda 3 an even better value for the dollar.
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Parkerman 5:42PM (9/12/2009)
Regardless... Its still ugly. I absolutely can not stand the front end... I just wanna know who thought that fascia was a good idea..
Jim in Tampa 4:15PM (9/12/2009)
Just yesterday I saw a Honda CRV at a local body shop. The front end of the thing was demolished yet it looked like someone could open up the front doors and get in or out. That sure did impress me!
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Aprime 4:59PM (9/12/2009)
cool story bro
Benfolio 9:02PM (9/12/2009)
A tree fell on my 2005 CR-V and I still drove it to the body shop. $11,000 later and they still couldn't fix the sunroof whistle, so I traded in for a Mazda5
Jeff 5:12PM (9/12/2009)
This is unrecognizable as a Mazda 3, yet the guy walked away (after 2 hours of cutting it open):
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Miracle+escapes+crash/1984146/story.html
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Sean 7:13PM (9/12/2009)
Holy crap.... I feel a little safer in my 3 now. Still wouldn't want to be in that situation...
Quack. 10:33PM (9/12/2009)
This and the CRV story are not all that special. Im glad nobody was hurt in both cases, but its not a huge deal. Nowadays with all the regulations, almost all modern cars carry a somewhat high degree of safety, even as compared to 10 (or especially 20) years ago. The real kudos go to the manufacturers who were focusing on safety even before safety was required/was a big selling point on cars. 88 VW Jetta flips over 3 times, lands on its wheels. Driver has minor bruising, in a car with no airbags. Starts the car and drives off. Try that in a Honda or Mazda of the same era.
Kumar 9:00AM (9/14/2009)
Lucky driver, as most people in cars and SUVs don't survive the semi-sandwich type accident.
I can see the load in the rear semi launched through the trailer, so that guy is lucky he wasn't impaled by all that junk that you can see protruding from the side of it.
Matt T 9:58PM (9/12/2009)
Now I know why the Mazda3 is so happy.
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Avinash machado 12:46AM (9/13/2009)
Hopefully this will help Dodge sell more journeys.
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Willie 1:19AM (9/13/2009)
This is one praise for Chrysler products. While their current line-ups are "lackluster" most if not all of their products get high marks for safety. I also like the Journey too. It is a pretty nice crossover. If I had a family and was in the market it would definitely be on my list along with Flex, Edge, Escape, and Acadia.
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