. Of the 18 midsize SUVs tested, 10 earned good overall ratings, three of which were Volkswagen vehicles.){kind=link}
Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today that the 2021 and 2022 Volkswagen Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and ID.4 EV earned good ratings in the new side-impact test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Of the 18 midsize SUVs tested, 10 earned good overall ratings, three of which were Volkswagen vehicles.
The Volkswagen ID.4 EV was the only electric vehicle tested and was one of two models tested to earn good ratings across all areas of evaluation. The overall IIHS side-impact rating includes evaluations of vehicle structure and cage safety along with driver and rear passenger injury measures including head, neck, torso and pelvis protection.
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety originally introduced the side test in 2003 and recently updated the test in the fall of 2021 with upgraded technology that uses a heavier barrier traveling at a higher speed to simulate the striking vehicle. Together, those two changes mean it involves 82 percent more energy, emulating the size of the modern SUV and its impact. The honeycomb striking surface of the new barrier also has a different design that acts more like a real SUV or pickup when it hits another vehicle.
Like the original test, the updated side rating is based on how well the occupant compartment structure holds its shape during the crash, injury measures collected from dummies positioned in the driver seat and the rear seat behind the driver, and a supplemental measure of how well the airbags protect the heads of the two dummies. The SID-IIs dummy used in both seating positions represents a small woman or 12-year-old child.
To earn a good rating in either the old or new side test, the vehicle’s occupant compartment must hold its shape well during the crash. Measures collected from the dummies must not indicate a high risk of severe injuries. In addition, the side airbags and seat belts should prevent the dummies’ heads from making hard contact with the interior of the vehicle. The Volkswagen Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and ID.4 averaged good scores across these areas of evaluation.
All Volkswagen SUVs provide six airbags as standard, along with a number of electronic safety systems—such as an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC)—as well as a standard rearview camera. Model year 2021 and 2022 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and ID.4 include standard Front Assist (Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Monitoring); Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert.
Volkswagen’s IQ.DRIVE® advanced driver assistance technology, featuring hands-on semi-automated capability, is standard on 2021 and 2022 ID.4 and on SEL trims of the 2021.5 and 2022 Atlas, as well as 2021 and 2022 Atlas Cross Sport models. On the highway, IQ.DRIVE features lane centering and a capacitive steering wheel to make driving easier. Around town, IQ.DRIVE alerts you to surprise vehicles or pedestrians in front of you, and keeps an eye around you to help make driving safer. The IQ.DRIVE® system utilizes front and rear radar, a front camera and several ultrasound sensors to collect data from the surrounding area, enabling Travel Assist (semi-automated driving assistance); Front Assist; Active Side Assist; Rear Traffic Alert; Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Stop and Go; Lane Assist (Lane Keeping System); and Emergency Assist (semi-automated vehicle assistance in a medical emergency).
The seven-seater 2022 Volkswagen Atlas, a family standout in the midsize SUV segment, starts at $34,335 MSRP. The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, a five-seater midsize SUV, starts at $33,635 MSRP. The 2022 Volkswagen ID.4, Volkswagen’s first all-electric compact crossover SUV and the brand’s first global EV, starts at $41,230 MSRP, before a potential Federal tax credit of up to $7,500.
For more information on IIHS and its newly updated side-impact testing, visit www.iihs.org.