2016 Acura RDX, ILX and Honda Accord Named IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus

A trio of model-year 2016 Honda products have earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s highest crashworthiness rating, Top Safety Pick Plus, the institute announced today. In addition to both the sedan and coupe versions of the Accord earning the safety kudos, the Acura RDX SUV and ILX sedan also received the designation.

Related: IIHS Names 2016 Honda Pilot Top Safety Pick Plus

Both Acura vehicles were named Top Safety Picks for the 2013 model-year. Their rating of good in the stringent small overlap front crash evaluation, combined with their superior rating for front crash prevention systems, earned both vehicles the elevated Plus designation for 2016. As is necessary for the honor, both vehicles received good scores in moderate overlap front, side, roof-strength and head restraints tests. These tests are rated on a scale of good, acceptable, marginal and poor.

According to IIHS, the RDX’s front end and occupant compartment was modified to improve protection in front crashes, resulting in well-maintained driver space with a maximum of 5 inches of intrusion at the parking brake pedal. The crash dummy’s head was also controlled well, while front and side airbags protected the head. “Measures taken from the dummy indicate a low risk of any significant injuries in a crash of this severity,” IIHS stated.

The ILX’s front crash protection also benefited from modifications, resulting in a max 5-inch intrusion during the small overlap test, albeit with greater injury risk. “Measures from the dummy showed that left lower leg injuries would be possible in a crash of this severity,” IIHS stated. “There were no problems with the dummy’s movement or the airbags.”

The Acuras’ superior-rated collision warning and mitigation systems reduced speed by 11 mph in both vehicles during the 12 mph test, and by 16 and 15 mph in the RDX and ILX, respectively, during the 25 mph test.

The Honda Accord also elevated its safety esteem for 2016, thanks to the addition of an optional automatic braking system that avoided collisions in evaluations at both low and higher speeds. The previous Accord was available only with forward collision warning, earning it only a basic rating as opposed to the advanced or superior rating needed for the Top Safety Pick Plus award.