CHEVY EQUINOX, GMC TERRAIN EARN TOP SAFETY PICK+ RATINGS

Company press release.

• Only midsize SUVs of nine evaluated to receive IIHS' highest safety designation

DETROIT – The Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain with available forward collision alert technology, earned 2014 Top Safety Pick+ ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the only midsize SUVs of nine evaluated to earn Good ratings in the Institute's small overlap front crash test.

The Equinox and Terrain join the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu midsize sedan in earning the institute's highest safety rating.

The test, in which 25 percent of a vehicle's front end on the driver side strikes a 5-foot-high rigid barrier at 40 mph, is designed to replicate what happens when the front corner of a vehicle strikes another vehicle or an object like a tree or a utility pole.

'Having the only two midsize SUVs that earned the Top Safety Pick Plus designation speaks to GM's focus on improving our vehicles by offering advanced crash avoidance technologies that can help avoid a crash, and by enhancing vehicle structure and occupant protection if a crash occurs,' said Gay Kent, director of General Motors Global Safety Strategy and Vehicle Programs.

'We are very pleased that the IIHS has recognized the safety of both the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain with this prestigious rating.'

Equinox and Terrain previously were named Top Safety Picks. The criteria for 2014 Top Safety Pick+ status was revised to include vehicles offering a frontal crash protection system meeting IIHS requirements, as well as achieving a Good rating – IIHS' highest classification – in four of five crash tests, and no less than an Acceptable rating in the fifth test. The 2014 Equinox and Terrain received Good ratings in all five crash tests.

The available forward collision alert technology on Equinox and Terrain uses a camera to detect when a driver is at risk of hitting the vehicle ahead, and delivers visual and audible alerts. It is part of a safety package that also includes lane departure warning and rear park assist. The package is available on Equinox 2LT trim and standard on the LTZ model. On Terrain, it available on SLE-2 and SLT-1 trims, and standard on SLT-2 and Terrain Denali models.

Along with forward collision alert, Equinox and Terrain are equipped with six standard air bags, including dual frontal air bags, head curtain side air bags and pelvic/thorax seat-mounted side air bags; as well as an available rear-vision camera that helps drivers identify objects behind the vehicle.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.9 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

About GMC

GMC has manufactured trucks since 1902, with innovation and engineering excellence built into all GMC vehicles. The brand is evolving to offer more fuel-efficient trucks and crossovers, including the Terrain small SUV and Acadia crossover. GMC's highest-volume vehicle, the Sierra pickup, is the most powerful light duty pickup on the market, and the first full-size pickup to receive the highest possible 5-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed its New Car Assessment Program for the 2011 model year. Details on all GMC models are available at http://www.gmc.com/, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at http://www.facebook.com/gmc.

posted on conceptcarz.com