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10 of 18 midsize SUVs earn 'good' IIHS side impact safety rating

It's not terribly surprising that midsize SUVs earned better safety ratings than small SUVs in the latest side-impact tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Just how much better they scored, on the other hand, certainly raises an eyebrow. Ten out of 18 midsize SUVs earned the highest rating of 'good' in the stringent new test, altered for vehicles starting with the 2020 model year with a heavier barrier (4,200 pounds) that moves at a higher speed (37 miles per hour) and is fitted with a hard honeycomb frontal structure. By way of contrast, just one out of of 20 small SUVs earned a 'good' score.  SUVs that receiving 'good' scores were the Ford Explorer, Infiniti QX60, Lincoln Aviator, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, Volkswagen Atlas, Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and Volkswagen ID.4. For EV fans, it's worth noting the ID.4 was the only electric vehicle included in the test. The Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse scraped away with 'acceptable' ratings while the Honda Passport, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Wrangler 4-door, Kia Telluride and Nissan Murano were deemed merely 'marginal' in the tough new test. Only two models — the Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen ID.4 — earned a "Good" rating in every test category.  Interestingly, the Jeep Wrangler would have scored a 'good' rating if it were equipped with side airbags for the rear seating positions. It would likely be an engineering challenge to equip its removable top and/or doors with airbags, but the lack of that safety feature allowed the head of the rear passenger dummy to hit the vertical support of the top. Otherwise, the Wrangler scored good ratings across the board. The new Ford Bronco, which makes more allowances for side-impact safety, has not yet been tested.  The popular Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride SUVs stand out in the test with 'poor' ratings for driver pelvis injuries. The Nissan Murano, a vehicle last redesigned for the 2015 model year, was the only vehicle tested that received a 'poor' rating for its structure and safety cage. Videos of the tests of 12 of these 18 SUVs can be found on the IIHS' YouTube page. Related video: Green Buick Chevrolet Ford Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jeep Kia Mazda Nissan Subaru Toyota Volkswagen Safety Crossover SUV IIHS Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

The new Buick Regal looks like a Mazda, and we're totally cool with that

Yes, this undisguised Opel Insignia, which will be brought here as the next Buick Regal, looks a lot like a Mazda. You can see it in the grille and headlights, especially – in fact, if you look at one of the photos with tape blocking out the badge in the middle of the winged grille, you might think this is a new Mazda6. The thing is, Mazdas look pretty darn good, so no one's complaining. And when you look at the rest of the car, there's a fair amount of originality going on. Aside from the GM-generic taillights (they look like they could fit on a Chevy, right?) the lines and details are all pretty fresh, and there are some design elements pulled from Buick's gorgeous Avista concept. A sweeping roofline leads to some healthy shoulders at the back, creating a coupe-ish profile with a very abbreviated rear deck. This appears to be a hatchback model and not the four-door sedan, but the general look should carry over. This is definitely a big improvement over the somewhat bulbous current-generation Regal, which also started life out as an Insignia. The car shown here is the Insignia OPC model, with Brembo brakes, big wheels, side skirts, and a front end with big (likely fake) intakes. It will most likely translate to a Regal GS for our market, as is the case with the current OPC and GS. The new Regal/Insignia is expected to use the same platform as the new Buick LaCrosse, which is also shared by the Chevy Malibu and Impala. They should once again be available with front- or all-wheel drive and a choice of turbocharged four-cylinder engines. Rumor has the Opel versions debuting at the Geneva show March, and the Buick would likely follow, possibly in New York in April. View 13 Photos And then there's the wagon. All signs point to Buick finally bringing the most practical Insignia to our market as a Regal. We got wind of a focus group testing the idea, Buick has trademarked the name Regal Tour X. That version would likely go up against the Audi Allroad in the classy, slightly lifted all-wheel-drive wagon category, basically acting as an almost-crossover for people who want a wagon but won't admit it to themselves. The Insignia wagon caught here is also an OPC, and we think it looks even more handsome than the hatch-sedan shown above. The trim piece stretching from the base of the A-pillar all the way up and back down to the tail is a nice touch in profile view, although we're not so sure about how it terminates abruptly at the taillight.

Lutz dishes dirt on GM in latest Autoline Detroit

Bob Lutz sits down for Autoline Detroit - Click above to watch video after the jump
Autoline Detroit recently played host to Bob Lutz, and, as is always the case, the former General Motors vice chairman dished out some great commentary. Lutz was promoting his new book Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business, and talk quickly turned to his role as it related to product development and high-level decision making at GM. While on the topic of brand management, Lutz revealed a few rather interesting tidbits about his former employer:
All Chevrolet vehicles were required to have five-spoke aluminum wheels and a chrome band up front, as part of the Bowtie brand's overall image.