2010 Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick Award

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Jun 02, 2010, 10:10 ET

DETROIT, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain received the highest possible rollover protection rating of "Good" in the first Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rollover tests of midsize SUVs and crossovers, one of four tests leading to both vehicles receiving the Institute's Top Safety Pick award.

The IIHS's roof strength test pushes a metal plate against one corner of a roof at a constant speed, before five inches of roof crush is reached. To receive its "Good" rating the subject vehicle must withstand a force equal to four times its weight.

"The Top Safety award recognizes vehicles that are on the top rung for safety," said IIHS president Adrian Lund. "The Equinox and Terrain are in an elite group of vehicles that have achieved the highest ratings for front, side, rollover, and rear crash protection, and that have electronic stability control to help drivers avoid serious crashes."

The 2010 Equinox and Terrain offer standard four-wheel disc brakes, traction control and StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation. Both offer six standard air bags: dual frontal air bags, head curtain side air bags and seat-mounted side air bags.

"Equinox and Terrain are great examples of a comprehensive safety approach that's designed to offer peace of mind and keep drivers as safe as possible on the road," said Jeff Boyer, General Motors executive director of Safety. "This includes technologies to help drivers avoid crashes, features to protect occupants in the event of a crash and systems that get the right kind of help to the scene as quickly as possible."

The 2010 Equinox and Terrain also have received the highest possible five-star front- and side-impact ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is a global automotive brand, with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. In the U.S., the Chevrolet portfolio includes: iconic performance cars, such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long lasting pickups and SUVs, such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers, such as Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly" solutions, such as the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco model that is expected to deliver up to an estimated 40 mpg highway, and 2011 Chevrolet Volt that will offer up to 40 miles of electric driving and an additional 300 miles of extended range with the onboard generator (based on GM testing). Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security, and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response, and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models, fuel solutions, and OnStar availability can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

About GMC

GMC is evolving to include more fuel-efficient trucks and crossovers. The GMC Terrain is a smaller SUV that offers 32 mpg highway fuel economy along with the capability, engineering expertise and refinement that have defined GMC for more than a century. Complementing the Terrain are the Acadia eight-passenger crossover, Yukon and Yukon XL and Sierra pickups. Today GMC is the only manufacturer offering three full-size hybrid models. Details on all GMC models are available at www.gmc.com.

SOURCE General Motors