In terms of rear-passenger safety, the 2023 Honda Accord is the best car in the segment on sale today. As per the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Japanese sedan is the only car of seven tested to earn a good rating for rear-passenger restraints and kinematics.
How did the others do? The answer may come as a shocker to most peeps in the market for a midsize sedan. The 2023 model year Subaru Outback, together with the Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, and Kia K5, were all rated poor by the nonprofit organization.
The seventh and final car is a compact, namely the 2023 model year Volkswagen Jetta. Quite surprisingly, the Golf's three-box sibling received an acceptable rating.
Said vehicles were evaluated in the so-called moderate overlap front crash test, which was updated late last year to address the gap in protection for the front and rear occupants. The updated test incorporates a crash test dummy representing a 12YO child or a small woman positioned in the left rear seat.
The moderate overlap front crash test further incorporates a barrier with a deformable face. The vehicle hits the deformable barrier with 40 percent of its width, namely the driver-side part of the tested vehicle.
When it comes to driver restraints and kinematics, all seven cars earned the organization's top rating. But in regard to the overall rating in the updated moderate overlap front test, only the Accord was deemed good. The Outback is ranked second thanks to an overall rating of acceptable, the Camry and Altima are marginal, whereas the Sonata, K5, and Jetta all performed poorly.
In most cases, the crash test dummy in the left rear seat slid forward beneath the lap belt. This greatly increases the risk of abdominal injuries. In the poor-rated Sonata, K5, and Jetta, measurements taken from the dummy indicated potential injuries to the head and neck as well.
Accord sales totaled 154,612 units in the United States last year, putting it far behind the Camry. The Toyota-branded rival sold 295,201 examples of the breed. To be redesigned for the 2025 model year on the TNGA-K platform of the 2024 model, the Camry is currently available to configure in the US at $26,240 with internal combustion or $28,855 for the optional hybrid engine.
The Accord is more expensive across the board, with the 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder lump going for $27,295 and the 2.0-liter hybrid for $31,895 (sans destination freight charge). Marketed as a midsize SUV even though we all know that it's a lifted wagon, the Subaru Outback can be yours for $28,895. Those willing to take it off the beaten path should consider the Wilderness grade.
Nissan wants at least $25,630 for the Altima, whereas Hyundai charges $25,450 for the Sonata. The technically similar K5 is more affordable still at $25,390. As for the compact-sized Jetta, make that $20,655 for a 1.5-liter TSI with 158 hp and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) to its name.
???? | IIHS released new ratings today for the midsize cars in the updated moderate overlap frontal test.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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