The 2024 Acura ZDX and 2024 Honda Prologue electric SUVs have failed to earn safety awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The two electric vehicles performed well in multiple tests, but came up short in the small overlap front test, earning only an "Acceptable" rating, the IIHS said Thursday in a press release. The highest "Good" rating is required to earn an IIHS Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award. Both SUVs failed to earn a "Good" rating because the passenger crash test dummy's head slipped between the front and side curtain airbags.
2024 Honda Prologue crash-test results from the IIHS
Other criteria include a "Good" rating in the updated side crash test, and "Acceptable" or "Good" ratings in the pedestrian front crash prevention test and headlight evaluation. In addition, a "Good" or "Acceptable" rating in the updated moderate-overlap front crash test is required to earn the highest Top Safety Pick+ award.
The ZDX and Prologue earned "Good" ratings in other crash tests and "Acceptable" ratings in the pedestrian front crash prevention test. The Prologue's headlights were rated "Acceptable," while the ZDX's were rated "Good" following recent changes made by Acura. The headlights on vehicles built before September 2024 are rated "Poor."
2024 Acura ZDX crash-test results from the IIHS
While not part of the award criteria, the IIHS also evaluates rear-seat reminders and LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The Acura and Honda both received "Good" ratings in each category.
Both the ZDX and Prologue are built by General Motors, with its battery and propulsion tech. The IIHS hasn't published test results for the related Cadillac Lyriq and Chevrolet Blazer EV, but several other EVs are top-rated for safety by the organization. Eight all-electric models received the Top Safety Pick+ award for 2024, with nine earning the lower Top Safety Pick award.
