Tag: pick

Poll: 2011 Ford Explorer vs. 2011 Dodge Durango – What’s your pick?

Filed under: Crossover, Dodge, Ford

Ford Explorer vs. Dodge Durango

The SUV is dead. Long live the SUV!

The 2011 Dodge Durango and Ford Explorer are big departures from the models that they replace. Aside from the usual styling and refinement differences, the biggest changes for these vehicle are that they both ditch the traditional body-on-frame sport-utility vehicle DNA in favor of unibody constructions. By our definition, these once-SUVs are now CUVs, though their respective parent companies continue to brand them as being traditional sport-utes through and through.

Both the Durango and Explorer offer available seating for seven and all-wheel drive, but that’s where the similarities start to taper off. Each vehicle offers a choice of two different powertrains, but while Dodge has opted to go a more traditional route with by fielding the Durango with both 3.6-liter V6 and 5.7-liter V8 engines, Ford has gone in the opposite direction by equipping the Explorer with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline-four and a 3.5-liter V6. There are pros and cons for each – the Explorer may prove to be more fuel-efficient, but the Durango ought to tow more.

Each of these new crossovers tries to stay true to the traditional SUV mindset, just in different directions. Ford’s Terrain Management system will surely come in handy for people who need more off-road prowess, though the end result remains that the Explorer is arguably more of a tall wagon than an honest SUV. The Durango keeps things a bit more and has a strong, presence that we suspect will still be well-received by people who prefer honest-to-goodness sport-utility vehicles.

We could debate the pros and cons of each vehicle all day, and indeed, we’re still waiting for the Full Monty-worth of details and specifications, but we still want to know: What do you think? If you had to choose either the Explorer or Durango, which would get your pick? Cast your vote in the poll below and be sure to sound off with your thoughts in Comments.

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Gallery: 2011 Dodge Durango

2011 Dodge Durango2011 Dodge Durango2011 Dodge Durango2011 Dodge Durango2011 Dodge Durango

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer

Poll: 2011 Ford Explorer vs. 2011 Dodge Durango – What’s your pick? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IIHS awards 2011 Buick Regal Top Safety Pick

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Buick, Luxury

2011 Buick Regal at IIHS

2011 Buick Regal at IIHS – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) just wrapped up its battery of batterings on the 2011 Buick Regal, and the results have netted “Good” ratings for front, side, rear and rollover impact protection.

Additionally, the Regal is the seventh vehicle from General Motors to earn a Top Safety Pick award, which includes the aforementioned rollover test where the Regal excelled. Buick’s Euro-born sedan was able to withstand almost five-times its weight – up from the federally-mandated standard of 1.5 times.

The Regal joins its Buick sibling, the LaCrosse, along with the 2011 BMW 5 Series, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Genesis, Toyota Avalon and Volvo S80 as a Top Safety Pick in the large car segment. Full press release after the break.

Gallery: 2011 Buick Regal crashed at IIHS

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IIHS awards 2011 Buick Regal Top Safety Pick originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2011 Ford Fiesta nabs IIHS Top Safety Pick, Autoblog watches

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Safety, Technology, Hatchback, Ford

2011 Ford Fiesta gets IIHS Top Safety Pick – Click above to watch video after the jump

We have mountains of respect for the men and women who work at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. After being invited to the institute’s Charlottesville, Virginia facility for a front-row seat to the 2011 Ford Fiesta’s frontal-offset test, we can honestly say that if we had their job, we’d have a hard time getting into just any old car ever again. While the Blue Oval’s new sub-compact passed its battery of evaluations with flying colors (being the first and only minicar to earn a Top Safety Pick nod since the institute added a rollover test), we were also treated to a tour of some of the more poorly engineered models from the recent past.

Manufacturers have made an impressive amount progress on the safety front in the last decade, thanks largely to a close partnership with the IIHS. The institute has worked to revise crash tests to more accurately reflect the composition of vehicles on the road. One of its primary functions is to identify crashes where people die in otherwise well-rated vehicles and to adjust crash tests accordingly. While the public identifies the institute with bouncing perfectly good cars off of chunks of aluminum and concrete, the truth is that crash testing is only a small part of the IIHS mission. Of course, it’s also the most fun part. Follow the jump to take a look at a video of the Fiesta’s frontal-offset test.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Fiesta IIHS Crash Tests

Gallery: IIHS Crash Test Exhibition Hall

Some photos by Zach Bowman / Copyright (C)2010 AOL

Continue reading Video: 2011 Ford Fiesta nabs IIHS Top Safety Pick, Autoblog watches

Video: 2011 Ford Fiesta nabs IIHS Top Safety Pick, Autoblog watches originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac CTS, Infiniti M models earn Top Safety Pick status from IIHS

Filed under: Safety, Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Hyundai, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has put a new crop of large luxury vehicles through its crash test gauntlet, and the Cadillac CTS and Infiniti M joined some impressive company in scoring a Top Safety Pick designation. The CTS and M clinched the highly regarded award by receiving the top score of “Good” in roof strength testing. To achieve the top score in rollover safety, a vehicle’s roof has to be able to support four times the weight of the entire vehicle.

The Top Safety Pick designation is handed out only to vehicles that received a “Good” score for all four IIHS crash tests while also featuring standard stability control to help avoid accidents altogether. The Cadillac and Infiniti join the BMW 5 Series, Lincoln MKS, Volvo S80, Hyundai Genesis and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class as Top Safety Pick winners.

Since large luxury vehicles cost so much and contain so many safety features, it’s not all that surprising that so many models aced IIHS testing. But not all vehicles passed the test with flying colors. The Lexus GS and Audi A6 managed only an “Acceptable” score in roof testing, while the aging Acura RL lagged behind the competition with a “Marginal” rating. Hit the jump to read over the IIHS presser.

Gallery: 2011 Cadillac CTS sedan

Gallery: 2011 Infiniti M

[Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

Continue reading Cadillac CTS, Infiniti M models earn Top Safety Pick status from IIHS

Cadillac CTS, Infiniti M models earn Top Safety Pick status from IIHS originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac SRX scores Top Safety Pick from IIHS

Filed under: Safety, Crossover, Cadillac, Luxury

2010 Cadillac SRX IIHS testing – Click above for high-res image gallery

When it comes to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s crash rating system, earning a score of “Good” is the best any automaker can hope for. And if a vehicle receives a score of “Good” for front, side, rear and and rollover crash protection and the vehicle has standard electronic stability control that car, truck or SUV becomes an IIHS Top Safety Pick. The 2010 Cadillac SRX became the 15th midsize SUV to be awarded with the desirable designation after the hot-selling crossover passed the rollover crash protection test with flying colors. The SRX had already received a “Good” score for its performance in the other crash tests.

The current government standard for roof safety is that it needs to be able to support 1.5 times the overall vehicle weight. The roof of the SRX proved to be able to hold 4.14 times its weight, nearly tripling the standards required by the feds. The IIHS tests roof strength by pushing a metal plate against one corner of the roof at a constant rate of speed. The maximum force sustained by the roof before the roof collapses by five inches is compared to the vehicle weight to determine the strength-to-weight ratio. Hit the jump to read over the IIHS presser.

Gallery: 2010 Cadillac SRX IIHS testing

[Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

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Cadillac SRX scores Top Safety Pick from IIHS originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 BMW 5-Series nabs IIHS Top Safety Pick laurels

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Safety, BMW, Luxury

2011 BMW 535i – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2011 BMW 5 series can stick another feather in its jaunty Alpine cap. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has awarded the German automaker’s middle child the coveted Top Safety Pick accolade. The newest generation of the 5er managed to nab the highest ratings possible for front, side, rear and rollover crash protection, becoming the first 5 Series to win the Top Safety Pick in the model’s history. Surprisingly enough, the 2011 5 Series is also the first BMW to take the award since the IIHS incorporated its new roll-over test.

The institute says that BMW has made up impressive ground in the area of side impact protection. Last year’s car only managed a “marginal” rating during that section of testing, while the new car was granted the highest rating possible. The institute goes on to say that its test replicates an impact from a larger vehicle, such as an SUV of a pickup truck, to accommodate for the higher number of these vehicles on the road today. Full details at the link below.

Gallery: 2011 BMW 5 Series IIHS Crash Test

[Source: IIHS]

2011 BMW 5-Series nabs IIHS Top Safety Pick laurels originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi Lancer earns Top Safety Pick award, first small car Mitsubishi to pass new rollover test [*UPDATE]

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Safety, Mitsubishi

2010 Mitsubishi Lancer ES – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named the Mitsubishi Lancer one of its top safety picks. The four-door sedan managed to be the first small car Mitsubishi that the Institute has tested to pass the new roll-over test with a “good” rating. As much as we like entertaining ourselves by thinking about the researchers flipping a bevy of cars and SUVs from 9-to-5, that isn’t quite how the institute tests for rollover strength.

Instead, a large metal plate exerts a steady force on the roof of a vehicle until the crash structure deflects by five inches. At that point, the boffins measure the amount of force it took to bend the roof and compare it to the overall weight of the vehicle. From there, a strength-to-weight ratio can be established. Currently, the federal government requires a vehicle’s roof to be able to withstand 1.5 times the weight of the car, and in order for a vehicle to earn a “good” rollover rating from the IIHS, the roof needs to be able to stand up to four times the weight of the vehicle.

Gallery: 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer ES

[Source: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

Mitsubishi Lancer earns Top Safety Pick award, first small car Mitsubishi to pass new rollover test [*UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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