2012 Toyota Camry and Chevrolet Camaro earn 5-Star NHTSA crash rating

This month the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its first set of 2012 model-year ratings. Under the stricter guideline changes made by the NHTSA only three 2012 models received five-star scores from the agency with the 3 lucky winners being:  the Chevrolet Camaro, Cadillac CTS and Toyota Camry.  

2012 Toyota Camry (Photo Courtesy of Jerry's Toyota)

The changes in the safety guidelines ranged from a new side-pole test to the usage of a wider range of test-dummy sizes to better represent car passengers of all sizes. The new regimen also takes more data into account, which is then analyzed to produce a single overall safety rating to go along with the frontal- and side-impact crash-test ratings and rollover-resistance ratings. The program will also highlight the vehicles equipped safety features that help prevent crashes.

Fun fact: the Camaro is the only vehicle to earn a perfect rating across the board since the new guidelines took effect for the 2011 model year.

2012 Chevrolet Camaro (Photo Courtesy of Jerry's Chevrolet)

The NHTSA's composite scores are made up of five-star ratings for their different tests (frontal, rollover and a combined side-pole and barrier tests). The new side-pole test simulates the vehicle going through a side impact crash at 20-mph into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle.

Besides the Camaro, Camry and CTS, all the other models, which included new entries such as the 2012 Chrysler 200, Ford Explorer, Ford Focus and Fiat 500, received no better than four-star overall scores.

The 2012 Mazda3 and Chrysler 200 had the worst side-impact rating of them all, earning three stars. Other models, such as the 2012 Cadillac Escalade ESV, had three-star rollover ratings.

The NHTSA said it plans to test 74 vehicles for the 2012 model year, including 42 passenger cars, 22 SUVs/crossovers, eight pickups and two minivans, representing 81% of the 2012 models by sales volume. Only three models have earned five-star ratings for the model year, but with more than 50 models to go we’ll have to keep you posted.

Come to Jerry’s Chevrolet and Jerry’s Toyota to check out our selections of Camaro’s and Camry’s or check us out at http://www.jerrysitsaboutyou.com/