For the third consecutive year, Mazda’s entire range of cars passed Insurance crash tests Institute for Highway Safety the US independent and non-profit body that evaluates car safety. The models in the price list, that is the Mazda 3 in both Sedan and Hatchback versions, as well as the CX-30, CX-5 and CX-9 SUVs (not sold in Italy), have obtained the Top Safety Pick + award, the highest recognition issued by the IIHS.
The IIHS conducts 6 tests on each car: one moderate overlap frontal crash, two small overlapping frontal crashes for both driver and passenger, one side impact crash, one roof crush resistance assessment and one headrest test using only the car seat. The results are classified on four levels, with a green “Good” indicator indicating the highest score. Mazda claims that the CX-5, which is already 5 years old and has remained substantially unchanged since its introduction in 2017, it was the first car to receive a “Good” in the toughest IIHS test, ie the one concerning side impact.
Mazda, the Top Safety Pick + on all cars thanks to only two platforms
However, just a series of “green” achievements is not enough to earn the IIHS’s highest recognition. Mazda also received good marks for its standard automatic front collision warning and braking, which was effective in testing to prevent impact with other vehicles, adult pedestrians and children. Mazda also received top ratings for its LATCH system for child seats. The one area where Mazda didn’t excel was in the models that weren’t equipped with adaptive headlights when cornering, missing in the base versions of the 3 and CX-5. In this case Mazda received the second score which is on the IIHS scale which is defined as “Acceptable”.
Mazda CX-30 2022
It should come as no surprise that all Mazda cars look so good alike. Currently, the automaker only has two platforms. Both versions of the Mazda 3 share common characteristics with the CX-30, while the CX-5 and CX-9 share the same platform. Upcoming Mazda platforms will be based on a new front-engined, rear-wheel drive architecture. That’s when things start to get really interesting, no matter what they get in the crash tests.