10 Mid-Size SUVs Earn Good Ratings In Side-Impact Testing

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- More than half the mid-size SUVs tested earn good ratings in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's new side-impact evaluation.

Of the 18 vehicles tested, 10 earned good (G) ratings: the Ford Explorer, Infiniti QX60, Lincoln Aviator, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, Volkswagen Atlas, Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and Volkswagen ID.4.

Two more, the Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse, earned acceptable (A) ratings. The rest--the Honda Passport, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Wrangler 4-door, Kia Telluride and Nissan Murano--received marginal (M) ratings.

None of them received poor (P) overall ratings. For additional details, visit the IIHS website.

When IIHS announced the first ratings in the new test in October, only one out of 20 small SUVs managed a good rating, while half were rated marginal or poor.

Below is a breakdown of the vehicles' ratings:

Ford Explorer: G

• Structure & Safety Cage: G
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: A
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Infiniti QX60: G

• Structure & Safety Cage: A
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: M
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Lincoln Aviator: G

• Structure & Safety Cage: G
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: A
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Mazda CX-9: G

• Structure & Safety Cage: G
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: G
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Nissan Pathfinder: G

• Structure & Safety Cage: A
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: M
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Subaru Ascent: G

• Structure & Safety Cage: A
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: A
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Toyota Highlander: G

• Structure & Safety Cage: G
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: M
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Volkswagen Atlas: G

• Structure & Safety Cage: G
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: M
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport: G

• Structure & Safety Cage: G
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: M
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Volkswagen ID.4: G

• Structure & Safety Cage: G
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: G
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Buick Enclave: A

• Structure & Safety Cage: M
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: A
• Pelvis: A
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Chevrolet Traverse: A

• Structure & Safety Cage: M
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: A
• Pelvis: A
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Honda Passport: M

• Structure & Safety Cage: M
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: M
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: M
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Honda Pilot: M

• Structure & Safety Cage: M
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: M
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: M
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Hyundai Palisade: M

• Structure & Safety Cage: M
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: P
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: A
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Jeep Wrangler: M

• Structure & Safety Cage: G
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: G
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: P

Kia Telluride: M

• Structure & Safety Cage: M
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: G
• Pelvis: P
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: A
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G

Nissan Murano: M

• Structure & Safety Cage: P
• Head & Neck Injury: G
• Torso: A
• Pelvis: M
• Driver Head Protection: G
• Passenger Head & Neck: G
• Passenger Torso: G
• Passenger Pelvis: G
• Rear Passenger Head Protection: G