IIHS Names Four Toyota Models ‘Top Safety Pick,’Adding to Brand’s Quality, Value and Safety Accolades
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently announced that four current Toyota models have earned “Top Safety Pick” status. Included on this short list are the all-new 2011 Sienna, the redesigned 2011 Avalon, the 2010 Highlander and the 2010 Venza. They join the 2010 Corolla, which was previously designated a “Top Safety Pick,” the highest safety designation awarded by the IIHS.This means each of these Toyota vehicles earned a “good” rating in all four IIHS impact tests: front, side, rollover and rear. For example, the roof on the Sienna—the first and currently only minivan to earn the “Top Safety Pick” designation—withstood a force equal to 4.12 times its vehicle weight, well above the federal standard of 1.5.The IIHS is an independent non-profit research and communications organization funded by auto insurance companies. Its findings add to the already-impressive list of credentials earned by virtually all of the models in Toyota’s lineup.It’s one thing for Toyota to say it makes vehicles of the highest quality, value and safety. It’s quite another when industry experts confirm the claim. And it’s the latter, when incorporated in a thorough product presentation, that can help convert a Toyota shopper into a lifelong Toyota owner.