Toyota is known throughout the world for creating strong, stylish, and safe vehicles in a variety of sizes and shapes. From the ever popular Camry to the sporty Avalon and the spacious Sienna, Toyota continues to exceed expectations in technology, security, and design. This year, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tested all three of these Toyota vehicles according to their stringent crash protection and rollover safety procedures. Each model received a 5-star rating, putting them at the top of their class.
The NHTSA created the 5-Star Safety Ratings program in 1978 to measure the level of safety that a vehicle provides for occupants in frontal collisions. Side crash results were added for 1997 models and rollover assessments came in to play for 2001 models. This program not only encourages auto manufacturers to voluntarily build safer cars, but gives consumers the opportunity to compare safety ratings when shopping for new vehicles.
Each year, the NHTSA chooses a sample of new vehicles for testing. These cars are either extremely popular, selling in high volumes, or have been structurally redesigned, or both. This year, the 2014 Toyota Camry, Avalon, and Sienna were all chosen for testing and all exceeded government requirements for vehicle safety.
The Camry, one of Toyota’s most popular 5-passenger, midsized sedans, is offered in L, LE, SE, and XLE trim levels. All levels are equipped with ten airbags, 4 wheel disk, anti-lock brakes with brake assist, traction, and stability control, and Whiplash Injury Lessening technology. The Camry was awarded a 5 star overall rating by the NHTSA this year. That rating included 4 stars in frontal crash safety, 5 stars in side crash safety, and 4 stars rollover safety. The frontal barrier crash rating for the average sized male driver received 5 stars and 4 stars for a smaller than average female passenger.
The Avalon, Toyota’s largest sedan, offers three driving modes with a V-6 engine – Eco, Normal, and Sport – all which tailor the engine, steering, and transmission responsiveness. Every version comes standard with ten airbags, frontal and knee airbags for driver and passenger and seat mounted side impact airbags. Anti-lock brakes and an electronic stability system are also standard. The Avalon also received a 5 star overall rating by the NHTSA this year. The Avalon’s rating included 4 stars in frontal crash safety, 5 stars in side crash safety, and 4 stars rollover safety. The frontal barrier crash rating for the average sized male driver received 4 stars and 5 stars for a smaller than average female passenger.
The Sienna is Toyota’s 8-passenger minivan that comes in L, LE, and SE trims and is built for safety for the busy family. The Sienna offers front impact, side impact, overhead, and knee airbags as well as anti-whiplash head restraints. Included in every Sienna is Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control, traction control, an anti-lock brake system, electronic brake force distribution, and brake assist. The Sienna hit 5 stars in the NHTSA’s overall rating this system this year with 4 stars in frontal crash safety, 5 stars in side crash safety, and 4 stars rollover safety. The frontal barrier crash rating for the average sized male driver received 5 stars and 3 stars for a smaller than average female passenger.
When shopping for your next vehicle, protect yourself and your family with the highest quality, safest cars available. Toyota has proven its commitment to safety for decades and continues to exceed government and customer expectations time and time again. Trust your North Hollywood Toyota dealership for a safe and enjoyable car shopping experience.
