Euro NCAP has given out safety awards to the new Toyota Prius and Honda Insight as among seven cars to receive a maximum five star rating. The hybrid cars scored highly in the pedestrian impact tests and also both met the requirements for the tougher safety tests being introduced in 2012.

Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP’s secretary general, said that the technology is out there for carmakers to deliver vehicles with better pedestrian protection. He said that Honda and Toyota are giving a glimpse of the “cars of the future” that have a regard for the natural and social environment. Trailing the Insight and the Prius are the Kia Sorento, Renault Grand Scenic, Skoda Yeti, Subaru Legacy and Volkswagen Polo that all scored five stars in the tests. The Citroen C3 received four stars and only missed out on a fifth as ESC is not fitted as standard on enough of the model range.

Tags:2010 honda insight crash test, 2010 toyota prius crash test, car news, Honda, Toyota
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The choice between fuel economy gains and crash safety is now made easier. You can have both! The Honda Insight, Toyota Prius and Kia Soul were rewarded by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety with its coveted “Top Safety Pick” designation.

Russ Rader, an institute spokesman, said that there’s no reason to risk your safety just to go with an economic car. To get the top ratings, the cars were required to feature a stability control system and had to achieve “Good” ratings in front, side and rear-impact tests. Tests include a simulated offset crash with a truck or SUV at 31 mph, a simulated head-on crash with an equally-sized vehicle at 40 mph and a simulated crash in which the car is hit from behind at 20 mph.

Tags:2010 honda insight crash test, 2010 kia soul crash test, 2010 toyota prius crash test, car news
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