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Research safety issues, child seats and more... on this page IIHS Crash Test results I NHTSA.gov Star Rated Crash Tests I Glossary and Terms I Subaru safety features and terms I Latch Child Seat anchor- tether information, Child seat manufacturers I articles, reviews Please read- this unofficial independent Subaru research site by Joe Spitz is designed to help you learn about Subarus. It is not sponsored, authorized, supported or approved by Subaru or any dealer and is not connected to, or affiliated with, any dealer. Always contact your local dealer. Inspect any vehicle prior to purchasing. Information subject to change, correction, updating. Questions, comments, and tips are welcome. not responsible for errors, omissions. unauthorized reproduction prohibited |
| The
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
is an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing the losses — deaths, injuries, and property damage — from crashes on the nation's highways. Check out IIHS.org crash tests. 11/10/09 Bumper
Crash Test-2010 Legacy is the first car with all 4 bumper damage estimates
under $1,000 and
'leapfrogs the competition for bumper protection', from the IIHS
8/27/09 Top Safety Picks The 2010 Subaru Legacy and Subaru Outback are the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's newest Top Safety Pick award winners. "To qualify for Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of good in the Institute's front, side, and rear tests and be equipped with electronic stability control. Criteria to win are tough because the award is intended to drive continued safety improvements such as top crash test ratings and the rapid addition of electronic stability control, which is standard on the Legacy and Outback." IIHS.org All information subject to change and correction. |
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| Forester, crash tests
from IIHS
2009 Top Safety Pick- small SUV category 2009s get Good rating front, side, offset roof strength 3/24/09 2009 Forester gets top Good rating on new roof strength roll-over crash test 4/17/08: 09 Forester a Top
Safety Pick: Front
crash test, side
crash test from IIHS
2008-2003
Forester IIHS tests top safety pick
Rear crash and headrest tests, all models |
Impreza, crash tests
from IIHS
2009 Top Safety Pick- small car category 2009 Good (top) front, side crash, Offset test results (no roof strength test done) 08-09 Impreza $1435 Combined bumper tests small car category 2008
Front offset crash test, top safety pick
Rear crash and headrest tests, all models |
| Outback, crash tests
from IIHS
Note: for many years Outback was not tested as a separate vehicl, it was testted with the Legacy models 2010 is a Top Safety Pick Rear crash and headrest tests, all models |
Legacy, crash tests from
IIHS
2010 Top
Safety Pick
2009
Top Safety Pick- mid-size Car category
2008-2005
Front offset crash test, Top safety pick Overall evaluation: Good
2008-2006
Side Impact crash test, 2008 is a Top Safety pick
Rear crash and headrest tests, all models |
| Tribeca, crash tests from
IIHS
2009 Top Safety Pick- mid-size SUV category 2009
results Good (top) results for front offset and side impacts
Rear crash and headrest tests, all models |
Baja, crash tests from IIHS
Rear crash and headrest tests, all models |
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SAFETY 2010 LEGACY 11/10/09 Bumper
Crash test-2010 Legacy is the first car with all 4 bumper damage estimates
under $1,000 and
leapfrogs the competition for bumper protection, from the IIHS
6/11/09 Crash tests -
Subaru and most other cars don't do very well on the combined bumper test
by IIHS, testing 6 mph full width and 3 mph corner impacts.
3/24/09
NEW roof strength roll-over rating system. Forester does well.
'The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is launching a new roof strength
rating system to help consumers pick vehicles that will help protect them
in rollover crashes. Twelve small SUVs are the first to be put to the test.
Only 4 earn the top rating of good. The Volkswagen Tiguan has the strongest
rated roof, and the Kia Sportage has the weakest among the 2008-09 models
evaluated.
5/21/08: 09 Forester
5 Star NHTSA
Crash Test Results
2008 Top Safety Pick award
winners include
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end IIHS crash tests,
start NHTSA.gov crash tests
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crash test results from nhtsa.gov |
based on risk of head & chest injury |
based on risk of chest injury |
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| 2009
Subaru Forester 4-DR. w/SAB
May 21, 2008 |
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| coming- 200 Subaru Impreza 5-DR Wagon w/SAB | ||||||
| coming- 200 Subaru Legacy sedan. w/SAB | ||||||
| coming- 200 Subaru Outback Wagon w/SAB | ||||||
| coming- 200 Subaru Tribeca 4-DR. w/SAB | ||||||
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crash test results from nhtsa.gov |
based on risk of head & chest injury |
based on risk of chest injury |
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| 2008 Subaru Forester 4-DR. w/SAB | ||||||
| 2008 Subaru Impreza 4-DR sedan w/SAB | ||||||
| 2008 Subaru Impreza 5-DR wagon w/SAB | ||||||
| 2008 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. w/SAB | ||||||
| 2008 Subaru Outback 4-DR Wagon w/SAB | ||||||
| 2008 Subaru Tribeca 4-DR. w/SAB | ||||||
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crash test results from nhtsa.gov |
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| Driver | Passenger | Front Seat | Rear Seat | 2 wheel drive | 4 wheel drive | |
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| 2007 Subaru Outback 4-DR w/SAB |
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| 2007 Subaru Outback 4-DR Wagon w/SAB | ||||||
| 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca 4-DR. w/SAB | ||||||
| 2007 Subaru Forester 4-DR. w/SAB | ||||||
| 2007 Subaru Impreza 4-DR w/SAB | ||||||
| 2007 Subaru Impreza 4-DR Wagon w/SAB | ||||||
| 2007 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. w/SAB | ||||||
| 2007 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. Wagon w/SAB | Not rated | |||||
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crash test results from nhtsa.gov |
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| Driver | Passenger | Front Seat | Rear Seat | 2 wheel drive | 4 wheel drive | |
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| 2006 Subaru Outback 4-DR Wagon w/SAB | ||||||
| 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca 4-DR. w/SAB | ||||||
| 2006 Subaru Forester 4-DR. w/SAB | ||||||
| 2006 Subaru Impreza Wagon 4-DR. w/SAB | ||||||
| 2006 Subaru Impreza 4-DR w/SAB | ||||||
| 2006 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | |||
| 2006 Subaru Baja 4-DR | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | |
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crash test results from nhtsa.gov |
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| Driver | Passenger | Front Seat | Rear Seat | 2 wheel drive | 4 wheel drive | |
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| 2005 Subaru Outback 4-DR Wagon w/SAB | ||||||
| 2005 Subaru Forester 4-DR. w/SAB | ||||||
| 2005 Subaru Impreza Wagon 4-DR | Not rated | |||||
| 2005 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | |||
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| Driver | Passenger | Front Seat | Rear Seat | 2 wheel drive | 4 wheel drive | |
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| 2004 Subaru Forester 4-DR.w/SAB | ||||||
| 2004 Subaru Impreza Wagon 4-DR. | Not rated | |||||
| 2004 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. | ||||||
| 2004 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. Wagon | ||||||
| 2004 Subaru Outback 4-DR. Wagon | Not rated | Not rated | ||||
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crash test results from nhtsa.gov |
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| 2003 Subaru Forester 4-DR. w/SAB |
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| 2003 Subaru Impreza Wagon 4-DR. |
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| 2003 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. |
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| 2003 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. Wagon |
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| 2003 Subaru Outback 4-DR. Wagon |
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crash test results from nhtsa.gov |
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| 2002 Subaru Forester 4-DR. |
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| 2002 Subaru Impreza Wagon 4-DR. |
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| 2002 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. Wagon |
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| 2002 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. |
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| 2002 Subaru Outback 4-DR. Wagon |
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crash test results from nhtsa.gov |
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| 2001 Subaru Forester 4-DR. |
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| 2001 Subaru Legacy 4-DR |
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| 2001 Subaru Legacy 4-DR.Wagon |
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crash test results from nhtsa.gov |
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| 2000 Subaru Forester 4-DR. 4x4 |
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| 2000 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. Wagon |
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| 2000 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. |
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crash test results from nhtsa.gov |
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| 1999 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. |
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crash test results from nhtsa.gov |
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ACTIVE safety: helps prevent accidents:
All Wheel Drive:
Continuous AWD: Subaru
manual transmissions use Continuous AWD, normally 50/50 front-to-back power
split and use a mechanical viscous center differential to to vary the power
split when there is a loss of traction.
Active AWD: Subaru's
automatic transmission use Active AWD, mostly front wheel drive and uses
traction sensing computer input to electronically vary the front to rear
power split via a hydraulic multi-plate transfer clutch.
VTD AWD (variable
torque distribution). New in 2001, VTD transfers powers front to back electronically.
The power split is 45/55 front/rear and the rear bias is designed for a
nicer, more luxury car feel as opposed to the front bias of the Active
AWD system. Usually 45/55 front to back split but that varies according
to wheel slippage. In 2003 VTD AWD is used on Outback VDC, GT with Sport
Shift automatic transmission and Impreza WRX with automatic transmission
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS): A brake system that prevents wheel lockup in hard braking conditions so the driver can maintain control and not skid. Anti-lock brakes will 'pulse' when activated under firm brake pedal pressure because they are pumping the brakes at a very high rate.
PASSIVE safety
Daytime driving lights: front (only the front) lights are automatically on when the car is moving. These may be less bright than normal headlight beams.
SEAT BELTS
Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR): pull the belt all the way out and it locks into place
and ratchets back. Easy for adjusting child seats.
Seat belt Pre-tensioners:
automatically tightens the seatbelt in the event of an accident reducing
the force which the occupant will hit the belt
ELR: Emergency
Locking Retractor: allows the seatbelt to move free until rapid deceleration
is detected at which time the belt locks.
AIRBAGS (SRS
- Supplemental Restraint System): A safety air bag inflates to prevent
the driver from colliding with the steering wheel or and the passenger
with the front dashboard. Designed to activate in moderate to severe front
impacts. The bag deflates within milliseconds. Must be used with seat belts.
Most airbags after 1998 are de-powered and deploy with less force than
earlier versions so people who sit closer to them may experience less initial
contact.
Newer front airbags
deploy according driver's position and distance form the steering wheel,
the passenger side deplys according to passenger weight
Side Air Bags: air bags that deploy in side impacts to cushion and prevent the occupant from hitting the interior. Subaru's side airbags are seat mounted. Used with seat belts.
Side Curtain Airbags airbags that run above the top of front and/or rear side windows and drop down to protect the occupant's head from hitting the window in a side impact.
Airbag danger:
Try
to sit app 10" from the airbags. Folks are not hurt by airbags because
of height, weight or age. Usually they were too close to the air bag or
were not properly belted in and they were thrown forward toward the airbag
as it came toward them.
Avoid being too
close. Adjust the seat position. Need to sit close? Consider pedal
extenders. Infants and children under 12 should always sit in the back
seat. Many newer cars detect front occupant position or weight to determine
how or if the bag deploys.
On-Off Switches:
airbag on-off switches are available only by petitioning for an airbag
exception. Requires an unsafe rear seat such as a supercab truck with sidefacing
seats, or cars with no back seat, or when someone with a medical condition
requires them to sit in the front passenger seat.
See links below for
more information.
Tire pressure monitoring
US
Safety regulations require all new 2008 and newer 4-wheeled vehicles weighing
10,000 lbs or less to have with a monitoring system detecting a 25% drop
in tire pressure.
TIre Pressure Monitoring
Systems (TPMS) measures tire pressure using a small sensor inside each
wheel. When a tire drops app 25% in pressure a warning light on the dashboard
comes on. You then need to check each tire to see which one is low. Cold
weather will cause a pressure drop because cold air is less dense than
warm so the monitor may come on in seasonally.
top
(see
links below)
All information
subject to change and correction.
LATCH Child Seat
System: (Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren): consists of lower
child seat anchors at the base of the rear seats and a tether attachment
in the rear. This allows a child seat to be firmly and securely anchored
at the base and top to minimize movement. Requires a newer seat (2002?)
with the appropriate attaching straps. Check your child seat for specifics.
Required on
all vehicles and child safety seats manufactured on or after September
1, 2002.
Cars, minivans, and
light trucks will be required to have anchor points between the vehicle's
seat cushion and the seat back in at least two rear seating positions,
and a top
tether anchor (with
the exception of convertibles). Child safety seats will have a lower
set of attachments that fasten to the vehicle anchors. Most forward-facing
child
safety seats will
also have a top strap (tether) that attaches to the top anchor in the vehicle.
Together they make up the LATCH system.
Why? LATCH bars avoid seat belt incompatibility from different types of
seat belt retractors, different belt anchor locations (too far forward),
plus
differing vehicle belt routings that people found confusing.
Where are the anchors: The anchor bars are in the crease of the rear seats.
By law, the vehicle LATCH bar spacing is standardized at 11 inches (280mm)
so that both the flexible (webbing) and rigid (metal) type of LATCH attachments
will work in all vehicles.
How many seats? Very few vehicles could fit three LATCH positions across
a back seat. It was decided that at least two are needed in back seats
but
vehicle manufacturers can optionally add more if they fit. In limited cases,
it's possible to use the inboard LATCH bars to put a seat in the center
position, but
for this to be safe, this method must be specifically allowed by the child
restraint manufacturer for that model restraint. There are limits as to
how wide and
narrow is safe for use by a child seat. Use the vehicle seat belts in the
center rear unless the child restraint model instructions specifically
say the center
inboard bars are ok.
Retrofit? Yes, there may be a kit, contact your seat manufacturer to see
if they make a retrofit kit for your child seat. Do not use a kit from
anothe
rcompany, the design of the system and angles of attachment could be different
enough to cause crash loads that would break the system. Don't mix parts
from different manufacturers no matter how similar they might look.
|
updates welcomed All information subject to change and correction. |
||
| Baby Trend, 800-328-7363, www.babytrend.com | Dorel, Cosco, Safety1st, Eddie Bauer, 800.544.1108, www.djgusa.com | IMMI, 900.465.579, www.safeguardseat.com |
| Britax, 888.427.4829, www.britaxusa.com | EvenFlo, 800.233.5921, www.evenflo.com | LaRoche, 978.632.8638, |
| Chicco USA, 877.424.4226, www.chiccousa.com | E-Z On, 800.543.4532, www.ezonpro.com | Nania, 877.912.1313, www.team-tex.com |
| Combi, 800.992.6624, www.combi-int.com | Fisher Price, 866.204.1665, www.fisher-price.com | orbit, 877.orb.baby, www.orbitbaby.com |
| Compass, 888.899.2229, www.compassbaby.com | Graco, 800.345.4109, www.gracobaby.com | Pegperego, 800.671.1701 www.pegperego.com |
| Recaro, 800.8RE.CARO, www.recaro-nao.com | Safe Traffic Systems, 847.329.8111, www.safetrafficsystems.com | Safety Engel, 888.743.3798, www.safetyangel.com |
| Sunshine Kids, 888.336.7909, www.sunshinekidsjp.com | Tripleplay Products, 800.829.1625, www.tripleplayproducts.com | |
My
Links
page is a whole page of links
here are some safety
related links
top
Airbag
National
Highway Transportation Safety Board for information on disabling the
airbag, how to appy etc
Airbags
and On/Off Switchs The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety information
about who is at risk and who is safer with them working.
Kids
& Airbags http://www.hwysafety.org/safety_facts/airbags/kids_airbags.htm
Air
Bag Safety - Oklahoma police website http://www.ou.edu/oupd/kidseat.htm
http://childsafetyalerts.com
Seatbelt.com
http://www.seatbelt.com/safety.html, about airbags on-off switches
Child safety
The Safety Restraint
Coalition, Washington's Child Passenger Safety Program, http://www.800bucklup.org/
Car
seat safety: How to choose and use a car seat (Ages 2 to 4) http://www.parentcenter.com/refcap/39413.html
Child
Seat Mfrs child seat companies http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/csr2001/csrhtml/csManufacturers.html
Check
your child seat for LATCH, recalls etc http://www.seatcheck.org/ call
866-seatcheck
Child
seats, from NHTSA.gov
Child
seat ratings, from NHTSA.gov
Child
seat inspections in the Seattle area http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/People/Injury/Childps/CPSFitting/FindFitting.cfm
Boost
America, educational site http://www.boostamerica.org/index.htm
Child
Safety by Parent's Helper, http://www.childsafety.com/
Seatbelt.com
http://www.seatbelt.com/air_bags.html
National
Safety Belt Coalition, Why Child Safety Seats?
top
All information
subject to change and correction.
Crash Tests Results,
front- side impacts, roll-over etc
National
Highway Safety crash test results (star ratings) http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap/ncap.cfm?search=yes&vehdesc=search
highwaysafety.org
http://www.highwaysafety.org/default.htm
11/18/07
Crash test: 2008 Impreza gets top pick front, side, and rear tests and
optional electronic stability control from IIHS, Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety, more
10/21/07 Crash
test, 08 Impreza gets Good in the frontal offset crash test from IIHS.
'Dummy movement was well controlled. After the dummy moved forward
into the airbag, it rebounded into the seat without its head coming
close to any stiff structure that could cause injury. Injury measures
— Measures taken from the dummy indicate a low risk of any significant
injuries in a crash of this severity..' more
May 16, 2007
The 2008 Tribeca gets 5 Star crash rating from NHTSA.gov on front and rear
driver and passenger crash tests, plus a 'no-tip' inb the rollover
test! see the full
report
June 1, 2007
New child seat safety law in Washington State. Effective June 1,
2007 children will have to stay in the safety seats until they are at least
8 years old and 4 feet, 9 inches tall. The new law also requires children
to use booster seats until they are 16 years old if a vehicle's seat belt
does not properly fit the child. Also children younger than 13 should ride
in the back seat whenever possible, they're allowed to ride in the front
only if the vehicle has no lap-and-shoulder belts in the back seat. Read
the law
2/15/2007 Crash
test results Safety crash test Legacy and Outback: NHTSA the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that 24 2007 passenger
vehicles, including the Subaru Legacy and Outback, received five stars
in front and side crash tests, the highest government rating under
the agency’s New Car Assessment Program. the
full report
11/20/2006Tribeca,
Forester XT Sports, Legacy GT sedan with Navigation are on the list
of only 13 cars that earned the top rating from Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety (www.IIHS.org).
"The Institute rates
vehicles good, acceptable, marginal, or poor based on performance in high-speed
front and side crash tests plus evaluations of seat/head restraints for
protection against neck injuries in rear impacts. The first requirement
for a vehicle to become a TOP SAFETY PICK is to earn good ratings in all
three Institute tests. A new requirement for 2007 is that the winning vehicles
must offer ESC Ielectronic stability control). This addition is based on
Institute research indicating that ESC significantly reduces crash risk,
especially the risk of fatal single-vehicle crashes, by helping drivers
maintain control of their vehicles during emergency maneuvers."
Only 13 2007 models
earned the top rating. They are Large car: Audi A6 manufactured in Dec.
2006 and later; Midsize cars: Audi A4, Saab 9-3, Subaru Legacy equipped
with optional electronic stability control; Minivans: Hyundai Entourage,
Kia Sedona Luxury SUV: Mercedes M class, Volvo XC90; Midsize SUV: Acura
RDX, Honda Pilot, Subaru B9 Tribeca; Small SUV:Honda CR-V, Subaru
Forester equipped with optional electronic stability control.
ALSO-RANS Rear
protection isn't good. These vehicles earned good ratings in front
and side crash tests. They have electronic stability control, standard
or optional. They would have won 2007 TOP SAFETY PICK awards
if their seat/head restraints also had earned good ratings. Instead rear
crash protection is rated acceptable, marginal, or poor (Honda reports
that the seat/head restraints in the only Civic model with electronic stability
control wouldn’t be rated good).
Acceptable rear protection:
Audi A3, BMW 3-series 4dr, Lexus IS 250/350; Marginal rear protection:
Acura TL, Honda Odyssey, Lexus ES 350, Lexus GS 350, Toyota Camry, Toyota
FJ Cruiser, Toyota Prius, Toyota RAV4; Poor rear protection:Honda Accord
4dr, Infiniti M35, Nissan Quest, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Sienna"
6/27/2006
Subaru Forester has ranked highest in independent Used Car Safety Ratings
(UCSR) announced in Australia. The 2006 UCSR studied more than 1.7
million crashes of 305 different vehicle models over a 17-year period.
For the first time in the study’s history, a ‘standout’ car was identified,
with Subaru’s Forester (1997-2002) rating as top performer. The UCSR is
the world’s largest study of vehicle crashes and is conducted by the Monash
University Accident Research Centre and supported by the RACV, the Transport
Accident Commission (TAC), and VicRoads, as well as other state and federal
road authorities and motoring clubs from Australia and New Zealand. from
car.co.nz
March 2006
Subaru Impreza is a 'gold standard among small cars' and a Top
Safety Pick from IIHS.org
Jan 9, 2006
Forester rated good
protection against whiplash injuries in rear-end crashes by iihs.org.
Only 6 of 44 tested earned the good rating, including Ford Freestyle, Volvo
XC, Honda Pilot, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Land Rover LR3
December 5, 2005
Crash test results: 2006
Legacy is a 'Top Safety Pick' Gold Award winner from Insurance Institiute
for Highway Safety. iihs.org. 'Top Safety Pick' winners reflect an elite
fraction of the car market.
November 20,2005
Crash test results 2006
Legacy is a double 'best pick' in both front and side Crash Tests
from
the IIHS.org
Sept 12, 2005
Crash
Test Results the Tribeca get 5 stars from nhtsa.gov
2000
Subaru Legacy Institute for Highway Safety crash test results
1995-99
Subaru Legacy Institute for Highway Safety crash test results
1999-2000
Subaru Forester Institute for Highway Safety crash test results
Crash-Test
Results, http://www.crashtest.com
Recalls
http://www.alldata.com/recalls/index.html