The Overall Vehicle Score, often represented by a star rating, is a crucial metric for assessing vehicle safety. This score is meticulously calculated using injury probabilities from frontal and side crash tests, along with a projected injury probability derived from rollover resistance assessments. These values are carefully weighted to mirror the real-world injury proportions associated with different types of accidents. The resulting score is then benchmarked against the average injury risk across all vehicles, indicating whether a specific vehicle poses a higher or lower injury risk compared to the norm.
Here’s a breakdown of the Overall Vehicle Score star ratings:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Injury risk significantly lower than average.
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Injury risk lower than to average.
⭐⭐⭐: Injury risk from average to greater than average.
⭐⭐: Injury risk greater than average.
⭐: Injury risk significantly greater than average.
It’s important to understand the comparative nature of the Overall Vehicle Score, especially when considering Suv Ratings. Since this score is partly derived from frontal crash test ratings, comparisons are valid only within the same vehicle class and among vehicles with a weight difference of no more than 250 pounds. This is particularly relevant for SUVs due to their diverse sizes and weights.
For instance, directly comparing the SUV ratings of a 4,500-pound SUV to a 3,000-pound sedan is misleading due to class and weight discrepancies. Similarly, comparing a 3,600-pound pickup truck’s safety rating with a 3,400-pound van is inappropriate because they belong to different vehicle classes, even though they meet the weight criteria.
However, it is accurate to compare the frontal and Overall Vehicle Scores between a 3,400-pound passenger car and a 3,650-pound passenger car because they are in the same class and fall within the acceptable weight range. Therefore, when evaluating SUV ratings, ensure you are comparing vehicles within a similar weight class to gain meaningful insights into their relative safety performance. Understanding these nuances is key to effectively using vehicle safety ratings to make informed decisions, especially when choosing an SUV.
