Some popular SUVs have come up short in a new round of crash tests.
The new, tougher side-impact test on midsize SUVs from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety yielded some disappointing results.
The Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade, considered by many among the best midsize SUVs on the market, each got a marginal rating, the institute’s second-worst.
The Honda Passport, the Honda Pilot, the Jeep Wrangler 4-door and the Nissan Murano also received marginal ratings.
The Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse did better, earning acceptable ratings.
Ten out of the 18 midsize SUVs tested earned a good rating, the highest the IIHS hands out: the Ford Explorer, Infiniti QX60, Lincoln Aviator, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, Volkswagen Atlas and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, along with the electric Volkswagen ID.4.
The IIHS says side impacts accounted for about a quarter of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2020.
