Inside these posts: Crash tests

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Only 2 cars get 5 stars in tougher crash tests

Three new models crucial to U.S. automakers received four-star ratings in U.S. government crash-safety tests that were toughened in response to concerns voiced by safety and consumer groups.

But the latest version of the Toyota Camry, the best-selling car in North America, earned an average three stars and was outperformed by virtually every other vehicle in a first analysis of fifty-five 2011 models conducted by the Transportation Department. Get the full story »

5 stars to be more elusive in new car crash tests

The government’s criteria for testing vehicles’ crash safety ratings are a-changin’.

For the past 30 years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been using its 5-star testing program to test how well vehicles sustain potential crashes. That rating system will soon expand to testing how well vehicles avoid accidents in the first place.

In other words, under these new guidelines, it’s going to become much more difficult for a vehicle to earn a 5-star safety rating, meaning it’s about to get easier for consumers to identify safe cars.