Subaru Forester gets top marks in latest IIHS safety tests

Roof strength is focus of new rating system - only 4 small SUVs rated 'Good'            

Subaru Canada, Inc. (SCI) is proud to announce that the 2009 Forester is one of just four small SUVs out of a total of 12 evaluated to earn top marks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in its stricter new rollover testing.            

According to the IIHS, this new rating system is based on Institute research showing that occupants in rollover crashes benefit from stronger roofs. Vehicles rated 'Good' - the Institute's highest rating - must have roofs that are more than twice as strong as those required by minimum U.S. federal safety standards.            

"We anticipate that our roof strength test will drive improved rollover crash protection the same way our frontal offset and side impact consumer test programs have led to better protection in these kinds of crashes," says Institute President Adrian Lund.            

In all Subaru models, the foundation for outstanding occupant protection is the Advanced Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frame unibody structure that disperses collision energy. This design forms a series of rings around the passenger compartment, providing protection in a variety of collision types. High-tension steel side-impact door beams and impact-absorbing foam materials enhance side-impact safety performance.            

Standard passive safety technology includes the Subaru advanced frontal air bag system (SRS), driver and front passenger seat-mounted side-impact air bags, and standard side curtain air bags. A rollover sensor deploys the curtain side air bags if it detects a potential vehicle rollover.            

"Subaru is delighted - but not surprised - to do so well in these latest tests," said Katsuhiro Yokoyama, president and CEO of SCI. "As Adrian Lund has pointed out, Subaru was among the first to ace the IIHS's front and side impact tests. We have an unwavering commitment to designing and building vehicles to the highest standards of active and passive safety, and the results of these independent tests are a reassuring confirmation of our own results."            

The IIHS says that more than 10,000 people a year are killed in rollovers. When vehicles roll, their roofs hit the ground, deform, and crush. Stronger roofs crush less, reducing the risk that people will be injured by contact with the roof itself.            

In the Institute's roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against one side of a roof at a constant speed. To earn a good rating, the roof must withstand a force of four times the vehicle's weight before reaching five inches of crush. This is called a strength-to-weight ratio. For an acceptable rating, the minimum required strength-to-weight ratio is 3.25. A marginal rating value is 2.5. Anything lower than that is poor.            

The IIHS has now added roof ratings to its overall award criteria. A good roof strength rating will be a new requirement to earn the Institute's Top Safety Pick award for 2010.
The 2009 Forester was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS with a "Good" rating in front, side and rear collision tests.