WASHINGTON (AP) - The Kia Sportage SUV has received poor ratings in new roof strength tests designed by the insurance industry.
The data are meant to give consumers a better sense of how their vehicles might perform in a serious rollover crash.
The Volkswagen Tiguan, Subaru Forester, Honda Element and Jeep Patriot received top scores among a dozen small SUVs tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Suzuki Grand Vitara, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue and Mitsubishi Outlander received the second-highest score of acceptable. Roofs on the Honda CR-V and the Ford Escape merited the second-lowest rating of marginal.
The test results apply to 2009 model year vehicles. The institute tested 2008 versions of the Sportage and Element because 2009 models were not available at the time.
More than 10,000 people a year are killed in rollover crashes in the U.S.
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On the Net:
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: http://www.iihs.org/
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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