As a committed Volvo fanboygirl, allow me to start by saying that yes, Acura might be safe now, but Volvo was safe first.

Thanks to what Acura is billing as their “steadfast dedication to passenger safety” (or “steadfast dedication to turning a profit”), Honda’s luxury brand has officially become the first brand to receive top marks from both the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for every vehicle in its line-up. After slowly but surely teaching the safety dance (sorry, there was a thing on VH1 last night, it got stuck in our heads, you know how it is) to every new model, Acura was finally able to claim their victory this week after the NHTSA wrapped up testing on the 2009 Acura TL.

According to Acura, their newest accomplishment can be directly attributed to an extensive list of standard safety features, including an Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), anti-lock braking system (ABS), dual-stage/dual-threshold front airbags, front-side airbags w/ passenger side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), side airbags for all outboard seating positions, front seats with integrated active head restraints, front seat belts with automatic tensioning system and load limiters, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and Daytime Running Lights (DRL).

“No other automotive brand has accomplished what Acura has, nor can make the safety claims that Acura can,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile sales. “When consumers think safety, they really should think Acura.”

Source: Acura
Image Cred: AP Photo