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IIHS gives 90 models its Top Safety Pick award in one fell swoop

Although the Audi A7 and the Toyota Sienna are positioned on completely different ends of the automotive spectrum, they overlap in one important area: both earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). They're among the 49 cars that received the distinction for 2021, while 41 additional models scored a Top Safety Pick (without the plus) award from the institute, bringing the number of winners to 90. Earning a coveted Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS is easier said than done. Recipients need to score a good rating in the institute's six crash tests, be available with a front crash prevention system that scores a superior or advanced rating in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations, and be offered with (but, crucially, not necessarily fitted standard with) headlights that are either good or acceptable. Vehicles that have good or acceptable headlights across the full range, regardless of trim level, are eligible for the Top Safety Pick+ award. The Hyundai Group (which includes Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis) earned more awards than any other carmaker, with 12 standard Top Safety Pick distinctions and five earning a Pick+. Volvo led the Pick+ chart with its entire lineup of nine vehicles. At the other end of the spectrum, Mitsubishi still hasn't earned a single award, and General Motors only nabbed one of each. Safety is spreading across market segments, according to the IIHS. It pointed out that, in 2020, there were no minivans or pickup trucks on the list of Top Safety Pick recipients. Fast forward to 2021, and the list includes the Honda Odyssey, the Toyota Sienna, and the Ram 1500 crew cab; the first two earned a Pick+. The full list of 2021 award winners is on the IIHS website. Note that, for some models, only units built after a certain date earned an award. This distinction reflects a change (usually in headlights) during the production run. Cars sold in the United States are safer than ever, but automakers still sell vehicles with a zero-star crash test rating in many global markets. Suzuki's 2020 S-Presso flunked a reasonably basic round of tests in 2020. Featured Gallery 2021 Hyundai Palisade View 12 Photos Audi Hyundai Volvo

Nine cars we wish were convertibles

The snow has melted, the sun is shining, and the days are getting longer. At the Autoblog Detroit office we feel like our winter hibernation is finally over. And with warmer temperatures come visions of opening up a convertible roof and cruising. You know, just turn up the bass and let the Alpine blast. There are plenty of droptops on sale in the US, and more on the way (like the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata). That said, we always want more. More! More! More! In that spirit, we cooked up a list of nine cars aren't currently sold as convertible, but ought to be. Check out our picks, below. Summer's just around the corner. Subaru BRZ / Scion FR-S In some parallel universe, this car actually happened. Toyota showed us a FT 86 Convertible concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013, and we immediately started licking our chops over the thought of a rear-wheel-drive convertible based on the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S twins. These days, the MX-5 Miata is our only option for affordable roadster fun. A competitor to the Mazda seems like a no-brainer to us, especially since we have naught but good to say about the BRZ/FR-S as-is. Unfortunately in our present timeline, this car is as likely for production as a BRZ STI. Which is to say, not very. Dang. Lexus RC F Unlike the FR-S, a convertible from Toyota's luxury division might actually see the light of day. The current IS convertible is about to be phased out, and the Lexus LF-C2 concept from the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show is really a thinly veiled look at a possible RC convertible. A droptop RC would be plenty good, but let's reach for the starts. What we really want is to run topless in an RC F, complete with that powerful, loud, 5.0-liter V8 engine. Lexus says the RC F is a true competitor to the BMW M4. If that's true, it only makes sense for Lexus to mimic the Germans and offer its performance coupe in a folding hardtop form. Maybach Landaulet Maybach is bach back, recast as an upper crust trim level for Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes-Maybach S600 is seriously awesome, and more luxurious than a trip to the spa. But why not go a step into the truly ridiculous levels of extravagence and bring back that open-top Landaulet? We think your local princess will love this idea, and with better S-Class bones underneath, Jeeves will have a pretty enjoyable ship to steer, too. Besides, with that slick new Mercedes design language, a Landaulet redux wouldn't be nearly as hideous as the old model, pictured here.

2016 Hyundai Tucson starts at $23,595, rated up to 33 mpg

The latest generation of the Hyundai Tucson had its all-new hexagonal face revealed at the 2015 Geneva Motor show earlier this year. But we're finally getting a much better idea of what the North America version of the crossover offers. The 2016 model arrives at Hyundai dealers in July with a base price of $23,595, after the $895 charge for all trims. That's a jump from the current post-destination MSRP of $22,525, but customers get more modern styling and a new powertrain option with the update. In addition to its handsome new styling, the 2016 Tucson grows slightly in length and width for greater cargo space inside. The base SE trim carries over the previous 2.0-liter four-cylinder, six-speed automatic, and front-wheel drive combo with 164 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy jumps slightly to 23 miles per gallon city, 31 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined – up from the 2015's 23/29/25. However, the real gains start showing up with the Eco, Sport and Limited trims. Those models share a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to replace the previous 2.4-liter four and six-speed auto. The boosted engine is rated at 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, which is 7 less ponies but 18 lb-ft more torque than the outgoing mill. In the Eco trim starting at $25,045, the powertrain is rated at 26/33/29 with front-wheel drive. Sport goes for $27,045 and Limited for $30,795, but the turbo engine is rated at 25/30/27 in those latter two guises. All-wheel drive adds $1,400 to any version and knocks one or two mpg from the combined fuel economy figures. Beyond the powertrain improvement, Tucsons are available with an alphabet soup of safety systems to let drivers feel more secure. Inside, a five-inch touchscreen infotainment display is standard and comes with a rearview camera. An optional eight-inch system with navigation is also optional. ALL-NEW 2016 HYUNDAI TUCSON STARTS AT $22,700 Well-Equipped Tucson Features Sporty Styling, Outstanding Efficiency and Leading Safety Technologies FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., July 14, 2015 – Hyundai's all-new 2016 Tucson compact crossover offers an unmatched combination of a modern design, enhanced driving dynamics, increased utility and the latest in safety and entertainment technologies, all with a starting price of $22,700.