This year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (HIMOM) won't even think about naming a car to its top safety list if it doesn't have stability control. Going nannyless is a dealbreaker, says the agency, which is lobbying for a Federal mandate for automakers to put stability control on all cars by 2012. That 's bad juju for domestic automakers, which are somewhat behind the Europeans on offering stability control, arguably a top-down technology that's only just begun trickling into cars costing below $25,000. It's the ABS debate all over again — with insurance companies' Cole Haans again placed at the necks of carmakers and consumers. Oh, please protect us, you all-knowing beings of the actuarial tables, we are not worthy of your attention.
Winners for the 2007 model year:
Large Car: Audi A6
Midsized Car: Audi A4, Saab 9-3, Subaru Legacy (with optional stability control)
Minivan: Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona
Luxury SUV: Mercedes M-class, Volvo XC90
Midsize SUV: Acura RDX, Honda Pilot, Subaru B9 Tribeca
Small SUV: Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester
Related:
More on IIHS [internal]