The introduction of the controversial Small Overlap Test into the regular battery of assessments through which all US-bound cars must pass in order to earn their stars (preferably five of them) had a direct effect on these cars’ ratings.
Its introduction raised questions as to whether the automakers were making cars safe for actual people to ride in, or if they were just engineering their cars to do very well in the standard tests, but not generally excel at it.
Now, though, the manufacturers are catching up, and adjusting to the changes, and the redesigned 2013 Honda Civic, in both Coupe and Sedan flavors, is officially the first small car to be called a “Top Safety Pick+” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This is due in no small part to the Civic’s “Good” rating for the aforementioned Small Overlap test.
This, complimented by the usual assortment of safety systems have currently made the Civic Coupe and Sedan the first and only two small cars in their class to achieve this level of safety. The Honda range currently features two more Top Safety Pick+ vehicles, in the form of the Accord Coupe and Sedan. Also, the Accord-based Acura TL achieved the same result.
Do also check out the two videos below, to see what the Small Overlap Test is, if you don’t already know, and see how the two Civic variants fared.
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
VIDEO