The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested large sedans in side crashes and found the Chevrolet Impala and Toyota Avalon fared best. Both cars come standard with side airbags and received ratings of “Good.” Despite the hum-drum naming convention, “Good” is actually the best a car can rank in IIHS tests. Side impacts cause the second highest number of car-crash fatalities.
Both the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego, when tested with their optional side airbags, received the top rating of “Good” in 2005. Ford will be making side airbags standard for both cars in the 2007 model year.
Even if every car with side airbags didn’t receive the highest rating, they’re still an excellent feature that buyers should look for when considering safety in a purchasing decision.