The 2013 Encore joined all other current Buick models as an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2013 Top Safety Pick this weekend according to a company press release. The new Encore also received a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
Now that the Encore has been named a Top Safety Pick, Buick is one of the rare few to offer a full line of 2013 Top Safety Picks.
Other models to earn a 5-star rating include the Buick Verano, Enclave and LaCrosse.
The IIHS conducts tests to determine occupant protection in front, side, and rollover crashes. They also test seats and head restraints for neck protection in rear impact crashes according to General Motors.
To earn a Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must receive a "good" rating for all four tests.
"Safety is a top priority in Buick's product renaissance, as evidenced by receiving these latest safety accolades for Encore," said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety in the company press release. "Our customers can have confidence in the safety performance of every Buick for sale today."
The NHTSA tests for 5-star safety ratings, which means putting vehicles through front, side, and rollover testing, along with a side pole test to see how a vehicle going 20 mph can handle hitting a 10-inch-diameter pole or a tree at a 75-degree angle.
The new Encore has 10 standard air bags, a standard Rear Vision Camera and OnStar security system, three options interested customers won't find in any other vehicle.
Encore's body structure is made up of more than 60 percent high-strength steel that provides a "protective safety cage" around the driver and passengers according to GM.
Other standard safety measures include four-wheel disc brakes, panic brake override, and StabiliTrak electronic stability control.
Optional safety features include Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning, which uses a single-forward-looking camera to read traffic patterns and lane markers on the road ahead according to GM.
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