The Swedes are known for their safe car which was proven recently by Saab and Volvo. Both Swedish car manufacturers' convertible has received the Top Safety Pick distinction from the United States Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). For Saab, the convertible which received the award is the Saab 9-3 and for the other Swedish brand, it was the Volvo C70.
Both convertibles have attained "good" scores in the crash tests conducted by the non-profit organization funded by auto insurance companies. Tests conducted on both the 9-3 and the C70 as well as other convertibles includes front, side, and rear crash tests. Aside from scoring "good" on the three crash tests, both the Volvo C70 and the Saab 9-3 are equipped with a standard Electronic Stability Control which the institute has proven to help protect car owners keep away from accidents.
In contrast to the Saab 9-3 and the Volvo C70, the Pontiac G6 received the poorest safety scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The General Motors-made convertible G6 received "acceptable" rating for frontal crash protection. But for side and rear crash protection, the institute only received "marginal" ratings. The Audi A4 and the BMW 3 Series recorded similar crash test ratings. For frontal collision, both the A4 and the 3 Series posted "good" scores. For side collision protection, the two European cabriolets were given "marginal" ratings. For rear crash protection, the A4 and the 3 Series received "poor" ratings.
To receive the Top Safety Pick award, convertibles, or automobiles in general, needs to attain "good" ratings in all three crash tests. They should also be equipped with an Electronic Stability Control which comes in different names varying from one car manufacturer to another. The presence of this system reduces the risk of traffic accidents as it aids the driver in controlling a vehicle especially during instances when the driver is about to lose control of the vehicle.
An added requirement for open top vehicles to receive the Top Safety Pick award is the presence of roll bars which can adequately protect its occupants in an unfortunate event of rollover. Both the 9-3 and the C70 are equipped with such safety features. A pop-up roll bar is deployed if the convertibles' sensors detect a crash that may result to the vehicle rolling over. The -equipped C70 and the 9-3 also boasts of other safety features like airbags and head restraints.
IIHS President Adrian Lund is apparently awed by the performance of the two Swedish convertibles. "The performances of the 9-3 and C70 are impressive," Lund said. "These cars combine what convertible buyers should look for if they're shopping with safety in mind. The Saab and Volvo not only provide good protection in high-speed front and side crashes but also have good seat and head restraint designs for protecting against whiplash in rear crashes."
"We wanted to test convertibles because sales are increasing. We also wanted to... see if crashworthiness improvements in mainstream cars are being built into convertibles. For the most part, we found that this is happening," says Lund in conclusion.
Aside from the Saab 9-3, Volvo C70, Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and the Pontiac G6, other convertibles tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety includes the Chrysler Sebring, Ford Mustang, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Toyota Camry Solara and the Volkswagen Eos.
