2013 Toyota RAV4 Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick After Crash Tests
Toyota’s 2013 RAV4 secured the IIHS Top Safety Pick rating, joining rivals in the compact SUV segment, but missed out on the new Top Safety Pick Plus designation.
Toyota’s redesigned RAV4 received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick rating for the 2013 model year, following a series of crash tests conducted in early 2013. The recognition places the RAV4 among a competitive field of compact SUVs that met the IIHS’s criteria for occupant protection in moderate overlap front, side, rollover and rear crash evaluations.
The 2013 RAV4 joined a list of compact crossovers recognised for strong safety performance, including the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester and Volkswagen Tiguan. The IIHS Top Safety Pick rating requires vehicles to achieve good ratings in the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. However, the RAV4 was not eligible for the newer Top Safety Pick Plus designation introduced by IIHS in 2013, as it had not yet undergone the institute’s small overlap front crash test at the time of assessment.
IIHS Crash Test Criteria and RAV4 Performance
To earn the Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must demonstrate robust occupant protection in a suite of crash scenarios. The 2013 RAV4 met these requirements in the moderate overlap front, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests. The small overlap test, which simulates a collision with a narrow object such as a tree or pole impacting the front corner of the vehicle, was not part of the RAV4’s evaluation at the time. As a result, the RAV4 could not be considered for the Top Safety Pick Plus, a higher tier reserved for models excelling in this newer, more demanding test.
Market Context and Competitors
The RAV4’s Top Safety Pick status put it in direct competition with several other compact SUVs that had recently achieved the same rating. Buyers considering safety as a priority could also look at the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, GMC Terrain, Chevrolet Equinox, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and Jeep Patriot, all of which had earned the IIHS accolade for 2013. The RAV4’s performance in these tests aligned with Toyota’s positioning of the model as a practical and family-friendly SUV.
- Honda CR-V
- Ford Escape
- Mazda CX-5
- Subaru Forester
- Volkswagen Tiguan
- Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
- GMC Terrain
- Chevrolet Equinox
- Kia Sportage
- Hyundai Tucson
- Jeep Patriot
The 2013 RAV4 was launched to the public in late 2012, featuring an updated platform and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 176 hp paired with a six-speed automatic gearbox. The model’s safety credentials, now confirmed by the IIHS, were a key selling point in a segment where crashworthiness is a major factor for buyers. For a broader look at the year’s safest models, see the IIHS’s full list of 2012 Top Safety Picks at/2012-safest-cars-list.
