The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently revised its testing procedures to account for heavier electric vehicles and SUVs. Side-crash and other tests have been updated to use more impact force in testing, which simulates the more intense crashes when heavier vehicles get involved. The change bumped several previously qualified vehicles off the Top Safety Pick list in 2023, either because they failed to score well enough in tests or hadn’t been tested under the new standards. BMW has a few models that qualify, one of which is the all-new 2024 5 Series, which earned a Top Safety Pick +.
The car scored top marks in all testing areas, earning “Good” scores in all crash testing and for its headlights, an area where many vehicles fall short. Its front crash prevention systems also earned top “Superior” scores for day and night performance.
BMW’s updates for the 2024 5 Series brought new styling, updated tech, and more safety features, as well as the introduction of the new i5 EV. The available highway driving assistance system now works at up to 85 mph and can be paired with an active lane change assist system that initiates changes when the driver looks at the side view mirrors. Standard tech includes forward collision warnings, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, safe exit warnings, and speed limit recognition.
The IIHS’ new standard states that a vehicle must earn “Good” ratings in each crash-test category to earn a Top Safety Pick+ award. The headlights must get an “Acceptable” or “Good” score for the “Plus” award, and crash prevention systems must earn “Advanced” or “Superior” ratings in both day and night testing. Earning a standard Top Safety Pick award requires getting an “Acceptable” rating in the new side-crash test and an “Advanced” or “Superior” score in the daytime crash prevention tests. The 2024 BMW X5 and 2023 X3 also qualified for Top Safety Pick + designations.
