The Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security (IIHS) lately raised the bar for its coveted High Security Decide+ award, leading to fewer vehicles making the lower for its highest award. However after a second spherical of testing for the 12 months, three new autos have made the lower. The brand new Audi Q6 e-Tron earned prime marks in every analysis, whereas the Buick Enclave and Nissan Armada had been let down in only one class. The let-down for each vehicles was within the headlights, an space the place the German luxurious model excels.
It is also price remembering the Q6 e-Tron is a mid-size crossover that begins at $63,800, whereas the Nissan Armada begins at $57,520, and the Buick Enclave begins at $45,100. The cheaper two are each three-row crossovers, and their awards solely apply to 2025 fashions.
2025 Audi Q6 e-tron
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Rear-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Transmission
-
Automated
- Base Trim Horsepower
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422 hp
- Base Trim Engine
-
EV
2025 Buick Enclave
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Entrance-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Transmission
-
8-speed automated
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
328 hp
- Base Trim Engine
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2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder Gasoline
2025 Nissan Armada
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Rear-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Transmission
-
9-speed automated
- Base Trim Horsepower
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425 HP @5600 RPM
- Base Trim Engine
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3.5L Twin-Turbo V6 ICE
11 New IIHS Security Scores In Complete
A complete of 11 autos had been within the newest batch of assessments, with the GMC Acadia simply lacking out on the plus half and getting a High Security Decide award. The opposite autos had been:
- Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron
- Cadillac Lyriq
- Kia K4
- Nissan Kicks
- Nissan Rogue
- Nissan Sentra
- Toyota Tacoma crew cab
None of these scored any IIHS security awards.

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You’ve lastly discovered the best new automotive, nevertheless it does not have an ideal crash-safety ranking – would you continue to purchase it?
Except there may be some significantly obvious security problem, sure, I’d nonetheless purchase a brand new automotive with an “acceptable” security ranking. The overwhelming majority of recent vehicles could be deemed secure, and crash assessments can’t 100% predict how any automotive will carry out in a real-world crash check, the place many extra variables are at play. How necessary are automotive security scores to you?
Whereas the Nissan Armada got here out robust within the testing, the Nissan Sentra didn’t. Most notably, it obtained a ‘Poor’ rating for its headlights and a ‘Marginal’ rating for entrance crash safety and the up to date average overlap entrance check. Nonetheless, the Tacoma, Kicks, and K4 additionally fell foul of the brand new average overlap check. Each automotive examined right here scored a ‘Good’ on the small overlap entrance check.
New 2025 High Security Decide + Full Scoring | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Small overlap entrance | Up to date average overlap entrance | Up to date aspect | Headlights | Entrance crash prevention: pedestrian | Seatbelt reminders | LATCH ease of use | |
2025 Audi Q6 e-tron | G | G | G | G | G | NR | G |
2025 Buick Enclave | G | G | G | G | A | G | NR |
2025 Nissan Armada | G | G | G | A | G | G | G+ |
Key: G = Good, A = Acceptable, M = Marginal, P = Poor, NR = Not Rated |
Overlap Take a look at Defined
In an overlap check, solely a sure portion of a automotive impacts a barrier in a crash check. Overlap assessments function the identical means as front-impact assessments, however as an alternative of all the entrance part of the automotive absorbing the brunt of the impression, solely a measured portion is required to bear the impression. The average overlap check includes 40 p.c of the width of the car, whereas the small overlap check includes 25 p.c of the width. The IIHS’s updates to the average overlap assessments take higher account of the place of the rear seat belts and the way effectively the restraints management the movement of the crash check dummy throughout the impression.
Whereas it looks as if a small change to the check, within the up to date check, a dummy the scale of a small girl or 12-year-old youngster is positioned within the second row behind the dummy within the driver’s seat. To get a rating of ‘Good’, there can’t be an extreme threat of damage to the chest, amongst different physique areas, for the second-row passenger dummy. It is measured utilizing a tool that information the seat belt stress and the dummy’s chest deflection sensor to get a sensible end result. Successfully, this measures how a lot the rib cage is compressed by the drive of the crash.

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This is What It Takes To Rating Zero Stars On A Crash Take a look at
This automotive failed crash testing miserably, and it is not even low cost. The footage is terrifying.
The revised overlap check was put into follow in 2022, and as a result of lifecycle of vehicles being, on common, round eight to 10 years, it is taking time to catch up. New fashions, after all, can goal to cross the check and make their vehicles safer.