Dec. 15, 2011—The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) on Thursday recognized the 2012 Mazda3 as a Top Safety Pick.
Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) said both the sedan and hatchback models of the vehicle received the IIHS’ highest possible crash safety rating of "good" in each of the four tests conducted.
"Mazda3 is an important vehicle for Mazda on so many levels," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO of MNAO. "Making up nearly 60 percent of our year-to-date car sales, Mazda3 is not only our best-selling car but also our first North American product to offer SKYACTIV technology, our innovative fuel-saving, performance-oriented engineering initiative. Being recognized as a Top Safety Pick further shows Mazda's commitment to providing consumers with vehicles that meet their every need, from performance and design to quality and safety."
Vehicles receive ratings based on results from the IIHS’ evaluations on front, side and rear impact crash tests. The IIHS also conducts a roof strength test, which measures occupant protection in the event of a rollover. Each vehicle's overall evaluation is based on measurements of intrusion specific to each crash angle, and the injury impact on crash test dummies positioned within the vehicles at the time of collision. Only vehicles equipped with electronic stability control (ESC) are eligible for testing.
For more information, visit iihs.org.
