2024 Subaru Forester Excels In IIHS Rear Crash Prevention Test

Published: Friday, July 19, 2024, 1:51 [IST]

Subaru of America, Inc. announced that the 2024 Subaru Forester achieved the highest rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rear crash prevention test for small SUVs. Among eight evaluated models, only four, including the Forester, earned a "Superior" rating.

The Subaru Forester includes various active safety features such as EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology, Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, DriverFocus® Distraction Mitigation System, and Reverse Automatic Braking. These systems are designed to enhance driver awareness and prevent accidents.

Jeff Walters, President and Chief Operating Officer of Subaru of America, Inc., stated: "Safety is at the heart of every Subaru vehicle, and I’m proud our Forester excelled in this test by the IIHS. Our vehicles are designed to not only keep occupants and nearby pedestrians safe but also to stay on the road longer and avoid costly repairs for our owners."

The IIHS rear crash prevention test evaluates systems based on their performance in three tests using a passenger vehicle target at different angles and one test using a bollard. The complete evaluation consists of 24 test runs conducted at 4 mph. Systems are scored based on their ability to avoid or reduce speed before impact.

David Aylor, Vice President of Active Safety at IIHS, explained: "The rear AEB evaluation is designed to test how well these systems prevent the most common backing crashes. These are challenging scenarios in which a pole or another vehicle is behind you and off to the side. Meanwhile, you are backing up and sometimes turning at the same time."

Cost Efficiency

The low-speed crashes addressed by rear automatic emergency braking (AEB) can cause significant damage despite not typically resulting in serious injuries. Nearly 30% of collision claims in 2022 were for rear impacts costing over $4,000. In contrast, rear AEB costs as little as $600 as an optional feature on some vehicles.

The Subaru Forester combines SUV capability with car-like handling through standard Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, Active Torque Vectoring, and Vehicle Dynamics Control. It offers 8.7 inches of ground clearance (9.2 inches for Forester Wilderness), higher than many SUVs while maintaining a low step-in height for easy entry.

Company Background

Subaru of America, Inc., a subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan, operates from Camden, N.J., marketing and distributing vehicles through over 630 U.S. retailers. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants. The company has donated over $300 million to various causes through its foundation over the past two decades.

For more information about IIHS testing methods and results, please visit IIHS website.

The Subaru Forester is available nationwide at Subaru retailers.