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SUBARU IMPREZA EARNS IIHS “TOP
SAFETY PICK GOLD” AWARD
-- 2006 Subaru Impreza receives highest possible safety rating from
IIHS for frontal, side and rear-impact crash tests --
source
& pictures:
Subaru of America
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CHERRY HILL,
N.J.,
April 16, 2006 – Subaru of America, Inc. today announced that the 2006 Subaru
Impreza has earned the highest rating in the recent Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety (IIHS) crash tests. The 2006 Subaru Impreza received “GOOD”
ratings in the frontal, side and rear-impact crash tests for both the driver and
passenger seating positions. Based on this performance, the IIHS gave the 2006
Impreza the coveted “Top Safety Pick Gold” award calling it “a
gold standard” among small cars.
The IIHS Top
Safety Pick award recognizes car designs that afford the best protection for
people in front, side and rear crashes. This award provides consumers with an
overall vehicle assessment based on all three tests.
“We are so
pleased that the 2006 Impreza has added the IIHS Top Safety Pick Gold award to
the brand’s long list of safety accolades,” said Fred Adcock, executive vice
president, Subaru of America, Inc. “Subaru provides customers with a
fun-to-drive vehicle that sets the gold standard for safety at a tremendous
value. That’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.”
In its report, the IIHS highlighted the reinforced pillar behind the rear
passenger door and standard side airbags of the 2006 Subaru Impreza. They also
said the active head restraints “do a better job” than those in other small
cars.
The IIHS provides consumers with vehicle safety information, primarily front and
side crash test results, and now rear impact, to aid consumers in their vehicle
purchase decisions. The test results are relayed to consumers via a simple
rating system – poor, marginal, acceptable and good, with good being the
highest. The IIHS crash tests are conducted at speeds higher than required by
the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for both side impacts, at 31 miles
per hour, and frontal offset barrier impacts, at 40 miles per hour. The rear
crash test simulates a collision in which a stationary vehicle is struck at 20
miles per hour, and is a measure of the effectiveness of the head restraint
geometry. The new awards provide consumers with the ability to compare cars’
ratings more quickly and easily.
The Subaru Impreza models were restyled and
re-powered for 2006. The 2006
Subaru Impreza 2.5 i Sedan and Wagon have an MSRP of $18,295.
Subaru Safety News
This is the second IIHS “Top Safety Pick Gold”
award for Subaru. The 2006 Impreza joins the Subaru Legacy, also honored with
this distinction in its class for superior overall crash protection. The IIHS
also recently rated the Subaru Forester the best vehicle in its class for
protection against whiplash injury in a rear collision. The B9 Tribeca and
Outback continue the Subaru tradition for outstanding safety as evidenced by the
NHTSA double 5-Star rating for frontal and side impact protection, as well as
4-star ratings for rollover resistance. For more information on the safety
ratings of Subaru vehicles visit
www.safercar.gov
and
www.iihs.org.
Subaru Making Safety Standard
Subaru vehicles have set an outstanding safety standard in
their respective segments, many achieving the highest marks in crash tests
conducted both by government and private agencies. To Subaru, safety means far
more than protecting a car’s occupants in the event of a collision. Ideally, a
passenger vehicle should provide the driver with the means to avoid hazardous
situations. Subaru calls the concept Active Driving/Active Safety. Designing a
vehicle for active safety gives a driver a strong sense of control,
maneuverability and security.
Active Safety
Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive forms
the core of the Subaru Active Driving/Active Safety concept. Symmetrical
All-Wheel Drive gives a Subaru a significant traction advantage over two-wheel
drive cars (front- and/or rear-wheel drive) on all road surfaces. On all
Impreza models, the standard 4-channel / 4-sensor Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
incorporates Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). This system enhances
braking performance and stability by actively optimizing braking force between
the front and rear wheels according to how the vehicle is loaded with passengers
and cargo.
Passive Safety
The compact Subaru Boxer engine helps
enhance safety, because it allows more crush room in front and on the sides.
Subaru vehicles are designed to allow the entire powertrain to slide under the
car along the floor tunnel in a severe collision, helping to prevent intrusion
into the passenger compartment. All Subaru models are built around a Ring Frame
Reinforced body structure design that incorporates front and rear crumple-zone
construction to absorb the energy of an impact and help protect the reinforced
passenger compartment. Essentially, the Ring Frame Reinforced structure forms a
series of “rings” around the passenger compartment, providing excellent
protection in a variety of collision types. This structure increases cabin
rigidity and can absorb impact energy from any direction.
Other Impreza safety
features include 3-point seatbelts for all five seating positions, with
electrically triggered pre-tensioners and force limiters in front. Active front
seat head restraints in the Impreza are designed to help
reduce whiplash injury in a rear
collision. All 2006 Impreza models have standard dual-stage deployment
Subaru Advanced Frontal Airbag system
and front seat head/chest side-impact air bags. The
driver’s side front air bag deploys according to the driver’s proximity to the
steering wheel, as measured by a sensor on the seat track. In the passenger
side front seat, a sensor module detects weight on the seat – first determining
if it’s occupied, and if so whether by a child or adult – to control air bag
deployment
Impreza
sedan models have integrated headrests for the rear seats, and the wagon models
use removable headrests to enable rear seatback folding. All Impreza models are
equipped with the LATCH child restraint
anchorage system (Lower Anchors and
Tethers for CHildren) for use with compatible child safety seats. The safety
brake pedal system in all Impreza models is designed to yield during a serious
frontal impact in order to help reduce injury to the driver’s lower limbs
For more information on Subaru
vehicles please visit
www.media.subaru.com
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