If you drive a Jaguar X-Type, don't crash it

Or rather, don't let anyone crash into you, because it just got the worst rating of any midsize sedan (the second worst rating possible) in a side-impact test conducted by some insurance geeks. The $31,000 X-Type has side airbags which protected the test dummies' fake heads, but the deformed side panels caused significant damage to their fake torsos. Four cars came away with the best pick designation: the Mitsubishi Galant (finally, score one for Mitsu!), Saab 9-3, Lexus ES 330 and Acura TL.

Correction time, baby: I accidentally wrote above that the four named cars received best pick designations. They did not gain that particular designation, but they did all get the highest rating in the side-impact trial. Many thanks to the pair of eagle eyes who pointed out my lame oversight.

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