Photo: Honda
Here’s a question for you. Have you ever wondered how many production vehicles are worthy of the Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS without a single optional extra? Two is the answer, and the culprits are the Honda Insight (starting at $22,930) and Genesis G90 ($69,350 excluding destination charge).
Cars Direct reports that “most cars on the market today can't achieve the agency's highest rating without pricey options.” Even more worrying is that the consumer isn’t all that interested in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s mission, let alone what takes for a car, crossover, SUV, or pickup truck to level up to the Top Safety Pick+ rating.
The previous generation of the Sonata for the 2019 model year is an interesting example worth highlighting. Despite the starting price of $23,420 including destination, customers have to spend more than $28,000 for the Limited because the LED projector-style headlights make the difference. But wait, there’s more coming your way!
In addition to the Limited trim level with the best headlight technology available, customers have to spend an additional amount of greenback on the Ultimate Package. The Sonata in this configuration costs $30,920 or $7,500 more than the entry-level model, and that’s a lot for a mid-size sedan and a value-oriented customer.
It remains to be seen how long will automakers need to get the maximum rating without any options, but we’re not holding our breath given the corporate culture of the automotive industry. Adding insult to injury, the Insight and G90 are fairly niche vehicles without the sales figure to shame perennial bestsellers such as the Corolla and F-150.
In the meantime, the automotive industry is switching to crossovers and trucks to the detriment of passenger cars. But while automakers venture into smaller and smaller segments such as Hyundai with the Venue subcompact crossover, not even a high-riding vehicle can assure the driver and passengers with top-notch protection in the case of a crash or rollover.
Volvo, on the other hand, doesn’t run with the pack. “Our vision is that by 2020 no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car,” and to this effect, every car and crossover from the Swedish automaker will be limited to 180 km/h (112 mph). Volvo is also investigating how “a combination of smart speed control and geofencing technology could automatically make cars stick to the speed limit around schools and hospitals.”
The previous generation of the Sonata for the 2019 model year is an interesting example worth highlighting. Despite the starting price of $23,420 including destination, customers have to spend more than $28,000 for the Limited because the LED projector-style headlights make the difference. But wait, there’s more coming your way!
In addition to the Limited trim level with the best headlight technology available, customers have to spend an additional amount of greenback on the Ultimate Package. The Sonata in this configuration costs $30,920 or $7,500 more than the entry-level model, and that’s a lot for a mid-size sedan and a value-oriented customer.
It remains to be seen how long will automakers need to get the maximum rating without any options, but we’re not holding our breath given the corporate culture of the automotive industry. Adding insult to injury, the Insight and G90 are fairly niche vehicles without the sales figure to shame perennial bestsellers such as the Corolla and F-150.
In the meantime, the automotive industry is switching to crossovers and trucks to the detriment of passenger cars. But while automakers venture into smaller and smaller segments such as Hyundai with the Venue subcompact crossover, not even a high-riding vehicle can assure the driver and passengers with top-notch protection in the case of a crash or rollover.
Volvo, on the other hand, doesn’t run with the pack. “Our vision is that by 2020 no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car,” and to this effect, every car and crossover from the Swedish automaker will be limited to 180 km/h (112 mph). Volvo is also investigating how “a combination of smart speed control and geofencing technology could automatically make cars stick to the speed limit around schools and hospitals.”
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