VANCOUVER

Top Cars for Safety 2010

ctvbc.ca Published Wednesday, November 18, 2009 4:43PM PST

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If you're thinking about buying a car, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released its test results for the 2010 model year.

For the first time, they tested roof strength and to earn a Top Safety Pick award, vehicles had to have a roof twice as strong as required by government standards. Vehicles also had to perform well in front end crashes, side impacts, and offer whiplash protection in rear end collisions.

Subaru is the only manufacturer with a winner in all four vehicle classes, winning a total of five awards. Ford and its subsidiary Volvo have six winners, Chrysler earned four awards, and Volkswagen/Audi has five. This year, to make the list, vehicles also needed Electronic Stability Control, which helps drivers maintain control in a skid.

Some surprises: the world's largest car company - Toyota - didn't place a single vehicle on the top list and that includes the Lexus and Scion brands. Last year it had 11 winners. Four other manufacturers whose vehicles have earned Top Safety Pick in the past didn't have a qualifying vehicle for 2010: BMW, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Saab.

These tests really make a difference in the safety of the cars we buy. Take side impact crashes for example. Just six years ago most cars failed. In fact, they were so bad the testers nearly went broke repairing the crash test dummies. Now, thanks to side airbags and better designed and built vehicles almost all new vehicles pass those tests. Side air bags are now standard on just about every car and SUV and two-thirds of pickup trucks.

But the most important safety feature of any vehicle is you -the driver.

All 27 Winners: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

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