2023 Mazda Winners

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently announced 2023 award winners for their Top Safety Pick award. Several Mazdas, including the Mazda3 Sedan and Mazda3 Hatchback along with several others made the cut and were awarded. In fact, all Mazda cars that were tested won.

The Insurance Institute For Highway Safety

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is an independent nonprofit organization whose goal is to reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage from motor vehicle crashes through research. The IIHS was founded in 1959 by three of the big insurance associations representing well over 75% of the U.S. auto industry. It was first created with the idea that it would support Highway safety efforts by others. 10 years later it was reinvented as an independent research organization. They focus on three key points when doing their research to improve road safety.

1. Human factor research addresses problems associated with teenage drivers, alcohol-impaired driving, truck driver fatigue, and seat belt use, to name a few.

2. Vehicle research focuses on both crash avoidance and crashworthiness. Crash tests are central to crashworthiness research, and IIHS testing expanded with the opening of the Vehicle Research Center (VRC).

3. Research about the physical environment includes, for example, assessment of roadway designs to reduce run-off-the-road crashes and eliminate roadside hazards.

Their scientific findings based on those factors have led the IIHS to be extremely successful. They recognize that the design of the vehicle is not the whole story which is why they do continuous research not only looking for ways to improve cars but driver accountability and roadway infrastructure as well.

IIHS Safety Requirements

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is strengthening the requirements for its Top Safety Pick award. Now demanding better side crash technology and improved pedestrian crash prevention systems, car brands are needing to up their game to ensure the safety of their buyers. Luckily Mazda was able to step up to the challenge and succeed. As a result of the tougher criteria, only 28 models qualified for the 2023 awards, six of them belonging to Mazda. Last year there were 101 winners, showing that this year’s award winners are truly the best of the best. President Dave Harkey of the IIHS explained that the number of winners this year is smaller because we are, “...challenging automakers to build on the safety gains they’ve already achieved”. A significant change was made in 2021 to the side crash test where the updated version summons 82% more energy than the previous one. When the IIHS first introduced the side crash test in 2023, most vehicles tested received poor ratings. When the updated version of the test was tested against the cars, virtually every vehicle built for the U.S. earned a good rating in the original test. Updates to the award requirements are an essential part of the Top Safety Pick program. The program is designed to continually push manufacturers toward a higher level of safety encouraging them to build on previous successes.

Mazda Safety Features

Mazda cars come with a variety of technological gadgets that help to keep the passengers inside the car safe. With the developments that have been added over the years, it’s no wonder that the Mazda3 Hatchback, Mazda3 Sedan, CX-30, CX-5, CX-50 and CX-9 all won awards for Top Safety Pick. Each car has energy absorbing features that are built into the body along with a suite of secondary safety equipment such as seatbelts and multiple airbags. Engineers at Mazda studied the human body and attempted to design the most comfortable driving position complete with a perfect view of the road in front of them. Adding on to the previously mentioned features, the cars also have a 360 degree view monitor to help a driver's visibility of their surroundings increase. If a driver does not react fast enough to an imminent crash, the car can use its maximum stopping power automatically and can decrease engine power to reduce impact. This is called the smart brake support.

Mazda3 Sedan

Zeroing in on one specific model, the Mazda3 Sedan has several amazing elements that speak for themselves. With blind spot monitoring and a 360-degree view camera, drivers can be much more aware of their surroundings. The high beam control helps drivers switch automatically between high and low beams as long as the AUTO button is switched on. The beam control system determines that it is dark based on the brightness of the surrounding area. The lane departure warning system in the car is designed to help avoid crashes that are caused by drifting or departing lanes. It alerts the driver to the possible danger encouraging them to correct the mistake. One important component of the Mazda3 Sedan is the driver attention alert system (DAA). The DAA is a system that can detect driver fatigue or decreased attentiveness based on steering wheel behavior. The system will then generate an audible chime and/or a message prompting the driver to take a break to avoid a crash. Several other features include:

• Mazda radar cruise control with stop and go

• Smart brake support

• Adaptive front lighting system

• Traffic jam assist

• Front and rear parking sensors

• Rear cross traffic alert