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Smaller Cars Endure Big Problems On Crash Test

In a crash test of 11 of the smallest cars on the market, only one vehicle received an acceptable rating. The rest received marginal or poor ratings in the study, providing evidence that supports a widely held notion that smaller cars are among the least safe on the road. No other vehicle group has performed as poorly on a new crash test than these mini cars, says the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the nonprofit group that conducted the testing. The latest results of which were released Wednesday. The Chevrolet Spark was the only car earning an overall "acceptable" rating on the small-front overlap test, and even that vehicle had its shortcomings, IIHS said. "Small lightweight vehicles have an inherent safety disadvantage," said Joe Nolan, the senior vice president for vehicle research at IIHS. "That's why it's even more important to choose one with the best occupant protection. Unfortunately, as a group, minicars aren't performing as well as other vehicle categories." The Mazda2, Kia Rio, Toyota Yaris and certain Ford Fiesta models all received "marginal" overall grades on the test, while the Mitsubishi Mirage, Nissan Versa, Toyota Prius C, Hyundai Accent, Fiat 500 and Honda Fit all earned "poor" ratings. Results from these sub-compact cars fare much worse than vehicles sized just a little bit bigger, IIHS said. Among 17 cars evaluated in the small category, five earned "good" ratings and five more earned "acceptable." Only introduced a year ago, the small-front overlap test has quickly become a key indicator of differences in automotive safety. IIHS introduced it as a way to replicate what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with a tree or utility pole at 40 miles per hour. In the real world, these sorts of accidents are more dangerous than others, in part because they bypass the front-end crush zones on most cars. TOP 5Most Researched Sedans 2013 Honda Accord MSRP : $21,680 2013 Hyundai Sonata MSRP : $20,895 2013 Nissan Altima MSRP : $21,760 2014 Honda Accord MSRP : $21,955 2013 Toyota Corolla MSRP : $16,230 Automakers have been rushing to make design changes to the front ends of their cars. Without a grade of acceptable or better, they cannot qualify for the IIHS' overall Top Safety Pick+ honor, given annually to the safest models on the market.

GM expected to debut two new crossovers at Detroit Auto Show

Next month, General Motors is expected to debut two new crossovers at the North American International Auto Show. That's according to Automotive News and The Wall Street Journal, which reports that the successors to the aging Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain will finally make their debut. The two crossovers have been on sale since 2009 and 2010 respectively and are due for updates as the competition has newer models on the market. Both crossovers play in growing market segments where sales success is crucial for the respective brands. GM, and the automotive industry as a whole, has been shifting its focus towards crossovers in the last few years. The Traverse and the Terrain are some of the oldest SUVs on the market and are in dire need of an update. GMC's Acadia, the former corporate clone to the Traverse (and Buick Acadia), switched to a new platform in 2016. And the Terrain's platform-mate, the Chevrolet Equinox, was revealed a few months ago. Both the new Chevy and GMC models are expected to go on sale late in 2017 as 2018 models. Look for a follow up to the Traverse's sister, the Buick Enclave, to make an appearance soon. Related Video: News Source: The Wall Street Journal via Automotive NewsImage Credit: Reuters Rumormill Detroit Auto Show Chevrolet GMC Crossover SUV gmc terrain 2017 Detroit Auto Show

2014 Chevy Silverado High Country spied wearing trappings of new luxury trim

Spy photographers have spotted the new Chevrolet Silverado High Country and GMC Sierra Denali out on public streets for a little testing. From the looks of things, the Silverado will receive a much-differentiated front fascia along with special badges and those honking 20-inch chrome wheels. Expect to find a more posh interior as well. Likewise, the Sierra Denali will wear a tweaked nose with the familiar Denali bling. The one of the GMC trucks spotted here rolls on 21-inch gunmetal wheels instead of the 20-inch chrome pieces of the High Country.
Word has it both trucks will go on sale after the Texas State Fair this summer. While General Motors hasn't said for certain what we can expect to find under the hood, we'd be surprised to see anything outside of the range of engines found in the standard Silverado and Sierra models. That means buyers should be able to get their hands on the efficient, 23-miles per gallon 5.3-liter V8.