The safety of a vehicle is paramount for any driver and their passengers. To help consumers make informed decisions, vehicle safety scores are provided, often represented as star ratings. These ratings, known as the Overall Vehicle Score, are meticulously calculated. They utilize probabilities of injury derived from frontal and side crash tests, along with a projected injury probability based on rollover resistance assessments.
These calculations aren’t simply averages. They are weighted to mirror the real-world injury distribution across various crash types. The resulting score is then benchmarked against the average injury risk across all vehicles. This comparison determines whether a vehicle poses a higher or lower than average injury risk. The star ratings are then assigned based on this comparative risk level:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐= Injury risk is significantly less than average.
⭐⭐⭐⭐= Injury risk is less than average to average.
⭐⭐⭐= Injury risk is average to greater than average.
⭐⭐= Injury risk is greater than average.
⭐= Injury risk is significantly greater than average.
However, it’s crucial to understand the context of these Overall Vehicle Scores, especially when considering vehicles like the Car And Driver Tiguan. Direct comparisons are most meaningful between vehicles within the same class and with similar weights. Specifically, valid comparisons are limited to vehicles within a weight range of plus or minus 250 pounds of the vehicle being evaluated.
For instance, comparing the safety scores of a 4,500-pound SUV to a 3,000-pound sedan would be inappropriate due to class and weight differences. Similarly, a 3,600-pound pickup should not be directly compared to a 3,400-pound van, despite the weight similarity, because they belong to different vehicle classes.
In contrast, comparing the safety scores of a 3,400-pound passenger car with a 3,650-pound passenger car is valid. This is because they are in the same vehicle class and fall within the acceptable weight range. When evaluating the Car and Driver Tiguan, remember to consider these guidelines for relevant and accurate safety comparisons.
