The 2021 Audi A4 Gets Awesome Safety Ratings, But One Not-So-Little Thing Kills It

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The 2021 Audi A4 is a sporty and stylish sedan that seems to accomplish the impossible. It manages to be both beautiful and functional, all while being functional and pretty safe. In fact, the 2021 Audi A4’s safety ratings from the IIHS are good in nearly every category – except one. It’s the headlights on one trim level that keep the 2021 Audi A4 from being a Top Safety Pick+. 

2021 Audi A4 | Audi

Why would Audi even want an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award?

There are a few independent organizations which rate vehicles and assess their safety. These include Consumer Reports, the NHTSA, and the IIHS. The IIHS, or Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, awards two distinctions to its safest vehicles: the Top Safety Pick and the Top Safety Pick+ awards.

The IIHS scores vehicles anywhere from poor to marginal to acceptable to good in their crash tests. To be awarded an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle must get a good score in all of the IIHS’ crash tests. 

The IIHS crash tests include the driver-side small overlap front, the passenger-side small overlap front, and the moderate overlap front. Additionally, the vehicle must get a good rating in the side crash tests, roof strength, and head restraint tests. 

Not only that, but the vehicle must have an advanced or superior in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian tests. Headlights, which are often overlooked are so important, must be good or acceptable on all trim levels. A vehicle can get a Top Safety Pick award if it has acceptable or good headlights available on trim levels. It won’t get a Top Safety Pick+ unless they’re standard across all trim levels. 

The 2021 Audi A4 did well in crash tests

An Audi A4 being crash tested | IIHS
An Audi A4 being crash tested | IIHS

The 2021 Audi A4 got good scores in all of the crashworthiness categories, including small overlap front: driver-side. Small overlap subcategories structure and safety cage, driver injury measures, and driver restraints and dummy kinematics. The Audi A4 scored a good in each of these. 

Similarly, the small overlap front: passenger-side, moderate overlap, and side crash tests were all good.

Even the seats got good ratings. The roof on the 2021 Audi A4 has a strength-to-weight ratio of 5.34, which is better than the minimum of a 4 to get a good rating. Everything according to the IIHS’ standards is good in the Audi A4 – except for one thing. 

Almost all of the crash prevention is good – but not everything

A chart showing the 2021 Audi A4's headlights effectiveness. The 2021 Audi A4's crash test ratings are good, but it still didn't receive an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award.
A chart showing the 2021 Audi A4’s headlights effectiveness | IIHS

Most of the crash prevention in the 2021 Audi A4 is good. The front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle on all trim levels tested by the IIHS are rated superior. The crash prevention: vehicle-to-pedestrian tested is also superior. Even the headlights on three different variations of the 2021 Audi A4 are good. 

Yet they’re not all good, or even acceptable. Remember that in order to qualify for a Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle must have at least acceptable headlights standard across trim levels. The Audi A4 does not have this. The headlights on the Premium Plus trim are just acceptable. Even worse, the headlights on the premium trim are only marginal. Since headlights are so important to crash prevention, this disqualifies the Audi A4 from being able to receive a safety award. 

In order to keep people safe, it’s important that organizations like the IIHS take safety matters seriously. Even though the 2021 Audi A4’s safety ratings are good – and they’re mostly great – it isn’t enough to give it a safety award. It’s vital that vehicles meet a minimum standard for safety, and the 2021 Audi A4 doesn’t do this. 

RELATED: The 2022 Kia Stinger Is a Sporty Top Safety Pick

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Consumer Reports: Best Fourth of July Deals on Toyota Cars

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Fourth of July deals are finally here, and Consumer Reports has all the best options. If you are looking for a new car deal for the holiday, these Toyota options are between 15% and 11% off. The Avalon, Camry, and Corolla are all on sale, so don’t sleep on these sedan deals.

4th of July deals on new cars: Toyota Avalon

Consumer Reports Best 4th of July Deals: Toyota Avalon, Camry | Toyota

Consumer Reports ranked the 2021 Toyota Avalon first out of six other large cars. It gets 42 mpg overall, 32 mpg in the city, and 52 mpg on the highway. CR gave the car a score of 88 out of 100. This Toyota car has a high predicted owner satisfaction rating and a decent rating for the predicted reliability. Toyota cars are always on the lists of deals on new cars, but that’s a good sign.

2021 Toyota Avalon Hybrid XLE has an MSRP of $37,100. It is 15% off, making for a $5,709 potential savings off MSRP, making the price $31,391.

Consumer Reports likes the Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry is a car that has stood the test of time. Consumer Reports ranked the Camry first out of 13 other midsize cars. It gets excellent fuel economy with 47 mpg overall, 39 mpg in the city, and 53 mpg on the highway. The Camry is one of those cars you see on the road every day, no matter how old it is. That’s a good sign, especially if you buy new.

The 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE MSRP is $27,270. At 12% off, the potential savings off MSRP for the Camry come in at $3,182. That leaves the bottom line price at $24,088, which is quite a bargain.

Is the Toyota Corolla a good car?

The 2021 Toyota Corolla scored a 77 out of 100 overall. It has a solid fuel economy of 33 mpg overall. In the city, it gets 23 mpg, and on the highway, it gets 45 mpg. Consumer Reports scored the Corolla third out of 17 other compact cars. The predicted reliability scored five out of five, and the predicted owner satisfaction was four out of five.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla LE CVT has an MSRP of $20,475. For the 4th of July, the potential savings off MSRP are $2,267, making it 11% off. That brings the bottom line price down to a reasonable $18,208.

An SUV option: The Toyota Highlander

If you are looking for an SUV option, the 2021 Toyota Highlander checks all of the boxes. It ranked number two out of 14 midsize SUVs with three rows. The Highlander has Toyota Safety Sense systems, including forward collision warning, blind-spot warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. Toyota offers free maintenance for the first two years or the first 25,000 miles. CR says that if fuel economy is a big deal, the Toyota Highlander or Highlander Hybrid is the right choice. 

The 2021 Toyota Highlander XLE AWD has an MSRP of $41,685. At 11% off, the potential savings off MSRP are $4,377. That brings the price down to $37,308.

There are a lot of good Fourth of July Deals on the market, but don’t be overwhelmed by the choices! Check your local dealership and schedule a test drive if the sales price falls within budget. Even though there might be reduced inventory in some areas, there are still good deals on reliable Toyota cars and SUVs.

RELATED: Is the Toyota Land Cruiser Bulletproof?

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The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Is Too Fast for the Ford Maverick

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Uh oh, the ball is in the 2022 Ford Maverick’s court because the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz just entered production. The competition among compact pickups is just starting to heat up, but the Hyundai Santa Cruz is blazing ahead of the Maverick. 

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs. the 2022 Ford Maverick 

The Hyundai Santa Cruz | Hyundai

According to The Drive, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is speeding ahead of the 2022 Ford Maverick. It already made its debut a few weeks ahead of the Maverick and is now entering production. 

This may mean that drivers who want a compact truck could get the Santa Cruz weeks to months ahead of the Ford Maverick. The Maverick is expected to begin production around August 16, which isn’t too far behind. 

The Santa Cruz will be manufactured at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing in Alabama. The Maverick will be produced alongside the Ford Bronco Sport at the Ford Plant in Hermosillo, Mexico. 

The ongoing global semiconductor chip shortage already delayed production of the Ford Maverick once. It was expected to enter production in July. Hopefully, both of these trucks will remain on schedule. 

Is the Santa Cruz or Maverick stronger? 

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has a standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 191 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque. You can upgrade to the 2.5-liter turbocharged engine for 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, this little truck can tow up to 5,000 lbs. 

The 2022 Ford Maverick comes with a standard hybrid powertrain that can’t be equipped with all-wheel drive. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine and electric motor generate 191 hp and 173 lb-ft of torque. 

You can upgrade to the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine for 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, the Maverick can tow up to 4,000 lbs. The Santa Cruz has a payload capacity of 1,700 lbs, and the Maverick can carry up to 1,500 lbs. 

Both trucks have a ground clearance of 8.6-inches. However, the Maverick will offer an off-road FX4 package that includes all-terrain tires, protective skid plates, and tow hooks. The Santa Cruz may get an off-roading variant later. 

Does the Maverick or Santa Cruz have better features? 

2022 Ford Maverick towing
2022 Ford Maverick | Ford

The 2022 Ford Maverick begins at about $19,995, and the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz could start at around $25,000. The official pricing for the Santa Cruz hasn’t been released yet, but it could be close to the Maverick’s. 

The Maverick’s bed is a little longer at 54.4 inches vs. 52.1 inches. Both trucks allow you to set the tailgate at a middle position to hold up 4×8 plywood sheets. Both have outlets in the bed and pockets to place wood beams. 

In the Santa Cruz’s bed, you’ll find two standard storage cubbies in the sides, along with a lockable under the trunk floor. The Maverick has an optional storage cubby on one side of the bed. The interior size of the Santa Cruz hasn’t been released. 

It’s challenging to determine which option is better without knowing all of their specs and before getting a chance to test drive them. However, you might be able to get your hands on the Hyundai Santa Cruz before the Ford Maverick.

RELATED: A Bigger Truck Than the Hyundai Santa Cruz is Coming

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The 2022 Kia Stinger Is a Sporty Top Safety Pick

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The 2022 Kia Stinger is here, and it’s pretty great. It’s a four-door hatchback with a sporty look and rear-wheel drive. To make things even better, the 2022 Kia Stinger is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+. It’s the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s highest honor, but what exactly does it mean?

2022 Kia Stinger | Kia

Is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award really that great?

To be awarded an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle must get a good score in all of the IIHS crashworthy ratings. Ratings can range from poor to good, with marginal and acceptable in between, so good is pretty – well, good.

These tests include the driver-side small overlap front, the passenger-side small overlap front, and the moderate overlap front. In addition to these front crash tests, the vehicle must get a good rating in the side crash tests, roof strength, and head restraint tests. 

On top of that, the vehicle must have an advanced or superior in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian tests. Headlights, which are often overlooked but shouldn’t be, must be good or acceptable on all trim levels. Oftentimes one trim level has good headlight ratings while another trim level does not. 

The crash test ratings were good in the 2022 Kia Stinger

The 2022 Kia Stinger got a good score in all of the crashworthiness categories, including small overlap front: driver-side. Within this category are subcategories, including structure and safety cage, driver injury measures, and driver restraints and dummy kinematics. The 2022 Kia Stinger scored a good in each of these. 

Similarly, the small overlap front: passenger-side category and subcategories were all good, as were the moderate overlap front test results. Side crash tests were all good, with the exception of one. Under driver injury measures, the torso got only an acceptable rating. 

The roof strength, head restraints and seats got good ratings

To be a Top Safety Pick+, these categories would have to get a good rating. Since you already know the 2022 Kia Stinger is a Top Safety Pick+ award winner, it follows that it got good ratings in each of these categories. 

In addition to getting a good rating, the roof strength on the 2022 Kia Stinger has a curb weight of 3,627 pounds, and a strength-to-weight ratio of 5.53. Its peak force is 20,068 pounds. Head restraints ratings were all good for the Stinger.

Crash prevention in the 2022 Kia Stinger is advanced and superior

The IIHS tested the standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection safety system, and found it to be superior. This rating applies only to the 2022 models. It found front crash prevention: vehicle to pedestrian to be advanced across all trims in the 2019-2022 years.

Headlights range depending on the trim you purchase. The rating on the GT-Line trim and GT1 trim is good. The rating on the GT2 trim was only acceptable. If you decide to purchase a 2022 Kia Stinger, pay attention to the headlights that come with the trim you select. 

Although it’s not part of the Top Safety Pick+ criteria, the IIHS does test child seat anchors. It found those in the 2022 Kia Stinger to be only marginal. If you’re planning on putting car seats in the Stinger, do your research. 

Overall, the 2022 Kia Stinger is an award winning sedan with a lot going for it. Provided you’re choosy about your headlights and not planning on digging around in the back seat to find child seat anchors, it seems like a pretty good pick overall.

RELATED: This Luxury Underdog Just Became the Latest IIHS Top Safety+ Pick

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