By Moses Akaigwe
The all-new 2023 Honda HR-V compact SUV has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest accolade, the 2022 Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+) rating.
The new HR-V, Honda’s smallest SUV, achieved the Institute’s highest possible crashworthiness ratings in all evaluated categories.
Established in 1959, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a United States non-profit organisation funded by auto insurance companies.
The impressive safety rating earn by Honda HR-V is good news for Honda lovers in Nigeria where the compact SUV is becoming even more visible on the road as a result renewed marketing efforts by Honda Automobile Western Africa Limited in conjunction with The Honda Place .
In addition to achieving the TSP+, the HR-V’s standard front crash prevention system earned “SUPERIOR” ratings from IIHS in vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian avoidance tests.
With this award, a combined seven Honda models have earned 2022 TSP ratings or better, with the 2022 Accord, the 2022 Civic Sedan and Hatchback (evaluated as separate models), the 2023 HR-V, the 2022 Insight and the 2022 Odyssey all achieving the pinnacle TSP+ rating.
The 2022 CR-V, when equipped with specific headlights, was also recognised with a 2022 TSP award, while the all-new 2023 CR-V has yet to be evaluated by IIHS.
Based on Honda’s long standing “Safety for Everyone” approach, which focuses on advancing safety for everyone sharing the road, all HR-V models are equipped with the Honda Sensing® suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies, which includes Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) with Pedestrian Detection, evaluated by the IIHS as a “front crash prevention” system; Forward Collision Warning; Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) incorporating Lane Departure Warning (LDW); Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS); and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). Honda Sensing® is now standard or available on all new Honda models, found on more than 5 million Honda vehicles on U.S. roads today.
All Honda vehicles also benefit from Honda’s proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE™) body structure, designed to help protect occupants in a wide variety of frontal collisions, along with advanced supplemental restraint systems.
To qualify for a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle must earn “Good” ratings in six crashworthiness evaluations, including the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests.
TSP+ also requires “Advanced” or “Superior” ratings for vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, as well as “Acceptable” or “Good” headlight ratings across all trim levels.
In addition to IIHS testing, every Honda model that has been fully evaluated in the NHTSA’s 2023 model year NCAP testing has received a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score. While not yet evaluated, it is anticipated that the 2023 HR-V will earn this distinction.
Honda Commitment to Safety
Based on its vision for a collision-free society, Honda is working to improve safety for everyone sharing the road, an approach Honda calls “Safety for Everyone.” The company operates two of the world’s most sophisticated crash-test facilities in Ohio and Japan, and is responsible for numerous pioneering efforts in the areas of crashworthiness, collision compatibility and pedestrian safety.
Advanced passive safety features include Honda’s proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure and next-generation passenger front airbag technology, which are designed to provide a high level of collision protection for occupants.