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Vehicles awarded IIHS Top Safety Pick awards skyrockets for 2015 [w/video]

By practically every measure, passenger vehicles in the US are continuing to get safer. With the year rapidly coming to an end, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is releasing its annual list tallying of the scores for the latest vehicles to see how they compare to last year. Judging by the agency's evaluations, the numbers look quite positive. According to the institute, 71 vehicles earned either the Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ rating so far in its testing for 2015. Among the latest winners, there have been 33 TSP+ awards and 38 TSP medalists. That's a healthy increase over the 22 TSP+ and 17 TSP grades in 2014. The figures appear even more impressive when you consider that it keeps getting harder to earn the + designation. In the latest round of testing, a vehicle must offer some form of front crash prevention automatic braking to get the mark. Previously, just a warning to drivers was necessary. This list also illustrates the ways that automakers adapt to new testing procedures. In 2013 there were 117 TSP ratings and 13 TSP+ awards. Then, the IIHS mandated that to be a safety pick, a model had to score Good in the institute's four crash tests, plus a Good or Acceptable in the small overlap front test. That brought a plunge in 2014 to just 17 TSP grades. With the numbers climbing again, companies apparently have deciphered how to perform better. Some brands especially stood out on this year's list. The IIHS praised Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and Acura for offering standard front crash prevention systems on some models. Subaru received at least one of the awards for all seven of its models. Toyota also had seven, and the Honda brand did too – though the institute counts the two- and four-door versions of the Civic and Accord separately. Check out the full announcement below and a video about this year's winners. The full list can be viewed, here. Safety gains ground: More vehicles earn top honors from IIHS The number of vehicles earning either of the Institute's two awards has jumped to 71 from 39 this time last year, giving consumers more choices for optimum protection in crashes. The number of winners in the top tier - TOP SAFETY PICK+ - has increased by 11 for 2015, despite a tougher standard for front crash prevention. "This is the third year in a row that we are giving automakers a tougher challenge to meet," says IIHS President Adrian Lund.

Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ successor canceled?

Rumors indicate that the Toyota 86 is done for. Japanese Nostalgic Car is quoting Japanese sources as saying Toyota and Subaru have parted ways regarding the 86 and that the current car's replacement is off the table. According to JNC, the Japanese magazine Best Car is readying a report that the 86/BRZ successor has been canceled. JNC also considers the fact that in Japan, there will be a four-cylinder, 197-horsepower version of the new Supra, ready to continue where the 86 will leave the market. Back in 2016 the automaker seemingly confirmed that a replacement for the rear-drive car was under development, but plans can change and with a cheaper Supra version for sale in markets outside the U.S., we have to wonder if the 86 replacement has been shelved. The 86, while balanced, has only received mild enhancements and not a lot of extra power during its near-decade long time on the market, and it isn't such a strong seller that it would necessarily merit the effort of Toyota developing a successor on its own, particularly without the help of a partner like Subaru or BMW. At the same time, Autocar quotes Toyota boss Akio Toyoda on the Supra: "At the end of the day, is there anything better than a tight rear-wheel-drive sports car? I hope this won't be the last Toyota sports car you see from us in the future." While that is far from a solid statement of Toyota's future intent, it paves the way to offerings below the Supra, and shows how much the company boss cares about driver involvement. There is a distinct possibility that the company will re-introduce the MR2 as an electrified, rear-drive sports car – which could still be a joint venture with Subaru, as Japanese Nostalgic Car theorizes. Whatever's in the pipeline – and we hope there is something in the pipeline – it seems Toyota's heart is in the right place: driving the rear wheels. Related Video:

Subaru teases Impreza sedan concept for LA

When the doors open at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month, Subaru will be on hand to preview its upcoming Impreza. But before it does, it's giving us an idea of what to expect. Although we can only see so much of it from the teaser image above, the Impreza Sedan Concept pictured here for the first time looks similar to the Impreza 5-Door Concept we saw in Tokyo mere days ago. It seems to bear the same headlights and the same sculpted flank as the hatchback show car. Only as you might have discerned by now, it has a trunk instead of a tailgate. And instead of that blueish-silver, this one's done up in metallic red. For more than that, we'll have to wait. And it's entirely possible that even when it does arrive, Subaru won't tell us much about the technical specifications. Many of these concepts don't actually have engines, after all, When the new Impreza does reach production, it will in all likelihood feature a boxer four engine and all-wheel drive. Subaru to Debut "Impreza Sedan Concept" at 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show Tokyo, November 10, 2015 – Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, today announced that the "Impreza Sedan Concept" will make its world debut at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show (Press day: November 17 – 19 / Open to the public: November 20 – 29, 2015). The Impreza Sedan Concept will be unveiled at the press briefing scheduled for 2:35 PM PST on November 18 at Subaru booth following a speech by FHI President & CEO, Yasuyuki Yoshinaga. The special site opens today on the Subaru Global Site. http://www.subaru-global.com/2015la.html The site will feature information updates relating to the Los Angeles Auto Show including Subaru's press conference. Related Video: