GM SUVs Earn Top Crash Scores, Honda Pilot Dead Last

(RTTNews) - The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has awarded its top safety rating to a pair of General Motors SUVs.

The Chevrolet Equinox and the GMC Terrain are the only midsize SUVs out of nine evaluated to earn a good rating in the IIHS small overlap front crash test.

In a more punishing test than has been conducted in the past, 25 percent of a vehicle's front end on the driver's side strikes a rigid barrier such as a tree or pole at 40 mph.

The Toyota Highlander also qualifies as "good," although the vehicle scored slightly lower than the GM SUVs.

"SUVs have gotten much safer over the past few generations, but some are better than others at providing comprehensive front crash protection," says David Zuby, IIHS executive vice president and chief research officer.

"When it comes to midsize SUVs, General Motors is showing the way forward. The Equinox and Terrain score well in all components of the small overlap test — structure, restraints and kinematics, and injury measures for four body regions."

Three other midsize SUVs in the test group were rated poor for small overlap protection.

The Honda Pilot was the worst performer in this group, according to the IIHS. Other vehicles receiving poor ratings were the Kia Sorento and Mazda CX-9.

Three SUVs were given a marginal rating, with the Jeep Grand Cherokee lumped in with Toyota's 4Runner and the Ford Explorer.