BMW and Hyundai were the only manufacturers to receive the highest safety rating in just released results of the enhanced 5-Star Safety Ratings System for 2011 vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The upgraded ratings system will now evaluate side pole crash testing and crash prevention-technologies. Also, for the first time, it will utilize a petite female crash test dummy to simulate crash scenarios involving female vehicle occupants.
Ratings for 33 of the 55 vehicles to be tested under the new system this year were announced, with the BMW 5 Series 4 DR RWD and the Hyundai Sonata as the only vehicles receiving a 5-star overall rating score under the new ratings system. Twenty-eight other vehicles received a 4-star overall rating score.
The full list of newly rated vehicles as well as safe driving statistics, vehicle defects, safety recalls and passenger safety, are available at the official website for the federal government’s 5-Star safety ratings program, www.SaferCar.gov.
The remaining 2010 vehicles’ safety ratings will also be posted when completed.
Article Last Updated: October 5, 2010.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
Yet another star for Hyundai. Clearly, keeping good company with the German marque.