Redesigned Volkswagen Tiguan Earns 2017 Top Safety Pick Award

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 26 -- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety issued the following news release:

The redesigned Volkswagen Tiguan offers improved protection in small overlap front crashes and, when equipped with front crash prevention, qualifies for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's 2017 Top Safety Pick award.

To earn the award, a vehicle must have good ratings in five IIHS crashworthiness tests -- driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints -- and an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.

While the new Tiguan is a midsize SUV, the previous version was a small SUV. It rated marginal in the driver-side small overlap test and had no available front crash prevention.

In contrast, the 2018 Tiguan held up well in the driver-side small overlap test, with maximum intrusion of less than 2 inches at the lower door-hinge pillar, footrest, and left portion of the toepan. The dummy's movement was well-controlled by the safety belt and airbags, and measures from the dummy showed that significant injuries would be unlikely in a real-world crash of the same severity.

The new optional front crash prevention system earns a superior rating. The Tiguan avoided a collision in the IIHS 12 mph track test. In the 25 mph track test, the impact speed was reduced by an average of 24 mph. The system also includes a forward collision warning component that meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria.

The Tiguan falls short of the highest award, Top Safety Pick+, which requires a good or acceptable headlight rating. The Tiguan's base halogen headlights earn a marginal rating, while the LED headlights that come with the SEL Premium trim earn a poor rating.