Two Studies Point To 2016 Mazda CX-5's Safety

The 2016 Mazda CX-5 has done better than most of its peers on two unusual safety tests by IIHS.

The Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has recently conducted two new safety tests. Both may be added to the Top Safety Pick Plus rating system that the Mazda CX-5 currently earns top scores on.

First, IIHS surprised automakers by testing crossovers, not on the drivers side, like it always had in the past, but on the passenger side in the important small frontal overlap test. Unlike the 2016 Toyota RAV4, which scored “Poor” and the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester, which scored only “Marginal”, the CX-5 scored “Acceptable.” Only one vehicle, the entirely redesigned Hyundai Tuscon scored better than the CX-5.

The second test is the new IIHS headlight evaluation. In this new evaluation IIHS conducts extensive testing and ratings of the best headlight systems available on a given model. Of the 21 compact crossovers tested, the 2016 Mazda CX-5 scored better than 12, finishing mid-pack with a rating of “Marginal.” Although marginal is nothing to brag about, IIHS pointed out that the majority of the marginal scores would have been acceptable if not for its subjective glare rating. In this test, the Mazda CX-5 finished ahead of pricey models like the Audi Q3 and Buick Encore. The top-selling Toyota RAV4 finished with the same score as the CX-5.

The current CX-5 still boasts the highest possible safety rating in the industry, the Top Safety Pick Plus. As the model moves forward it has less of a climb than its peers to retain that ranking.