You know what they say: safety first makes safety last, and the all-new 2012 Volkswagen Passat made a lasting impression on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) judges, who awarded it with their Top Safety Pick rating for 2011, the highest possible rating from the non-profit safety research organization.
The Institute rewards vehicles that do the best job of protecting passengers in front, side and rear crash tests, as well as in roof-strength evaluations. The all-new Passat also features electronic stability control, which, according to Institute president Adrian Lund, is “the most important feature in helping drivers avoid many kinds of crashes in the first place.”
But that’s not the Passat’s only praiseworthy feature. It also offers best-in-class rear-seat legroom, fuel economy and range, and, best of all, is made in America. For more information on the award, read full press release.
Not that we’re counting, but the all-new Passat joins seven other Volkswagen models as 2011 IIHS Top Safety Picks: CC 2.0L TSI®, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Tiguan, Touareg, and four-door Golf and GTI models.
You’ll get your chance to buy an all-new 2012 Passat and ride in stylish safety soon enough; it goes on sale in the US the third week of September.
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