The Toyota Avalon has long been recognized for its comfort, reliability, and sophisticated design. For those prioritizing safety, the 2022 Toyota Avalon stands out not just for its luxurious features but also for its exceptional safety ratings. Specifically, models manufactured after September 2018 (covering 2019-2022 models) have earned top marks in rigorous crash testing, making it a smart choice for safety-conscious drivers and passengers.
This analysis delves into the safety performance of the 2022 Toyota Avalon, focusing on the critical small overlap frontal crash test. This test is particularly important as it simulates a challenging real-world scenario: a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end bears the brunt of the impact.
Exceptional Performance in Small Overlap Frontal Crash Test
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts the small overlap frontal crash test to evaluate how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a collision involving the front corner of the vehicle. The 2022 Toyota Avalon, in tests conducted on models built after September 2018, achieved a “Good” rating – the highest possible – in this demanding assessment.
This achievement is noteworthy because Toyota proactively enhanced the Avalon’s passenger frontal airbag design. Recognizing the potential challenges in small overlap crashes, Toyota modified the shape and vent hole size of the passenger frontal airbag. This proactive measure was implemented starting with 2019 models built after September 2018, and it directly contributes to the enhanced occupant protection observed in testing for the 2022 Toyota Avalon and similar models.
To demonstrate the impact of this modification, Toyota conducted two sets of tests. One set was on an Avalon built before the airbag modification, and another after. The “Good” rating applies specifically to Avalons built after this crucial airbag enhancement.
Detailed Crash Test Ratings: A Closer Look
The 2022 Toyota Avalon’s “Good” overall rating is underpinned by consistent “Good” scores across all individual evaluation criteria in the small overlap frontal crash test. These criteria assess various aspects of vehicle safety and occupant protection:
- Overall evaluation: Good
- Structure and safety cage: Good – This indicates that the structural integrity of the Avalon is maintained well during the crash, providing a strong protective shell for occupants.
- Passenger injury measures: Good across all subcategories:
- Head/neck: Good
- Chest: Good
- Hip/thigh: Good
- Lower leg/foot: Good – These ratings demonstrate a low risk of significant injuries to the passenger in a small overlap frontal crash.
- Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics: Good – This reflects the effectiveness of the seatbelts and airbags in properly restraining the passenger and controlling their movement during the crash, minimizing injury risk.
- Driver injury measures: Good across all subcategories:
- Head/neck: Good
- Chest: Good
- Hip/thigh: Good
- Lower leg/foot: Good – Similar to passenger ratings, these “Good” scores for driver injury measures confirm a low risk of significant injuries for the driver.
- Driver restraints and dummy kinematics: Good – Again, this highlights the effective performance of the driver-side restraints in managing occupant movement and reducing injury potential.
These “Good” ratings across the board for the 2022 Toyota Avalon in a challenging crash scenario provide strong evidence of its robust safety design and engineering.
Technical Measurements: Quantifying Safety Performance
Beyond the “Good” ratings, technical measurements from the crash tests offer further insight into the 2022 Toyota Avalon‘s safety performance. Measurements of occupant compartment intrusion on the passenger side show minimal deformation into the passenger space during the crash. For instance, key intrusion measurements like lower hinge pillar max, footrest, and toepan show only a few centimeters of intrusion, indicating a strong and protective occupant compartment.
Similarly, passenger and driver injury measures, recorded through sensors on crash test dummies, are well within acceptable limits. Head Injury Criterion (HIC), neck tension and bending moment, chest compression, and femur forces are all low, reinforcing the “Good” ratings and demonstrating a low probability of serious injuries in a real-world crash scenario for the 2022 Toyota Avalon.
Conclusion: 2022 Toyota Avalon – A Safe and Secure Choice
The 2022 Toyota Avalon, with its “Good” rating in the small overlap frontal crash test and consistently high scores across all safety evaluations, is a testament to Toyota’s commitment to safety. The proactive airbag redesign for models built after September 2018 further underscores this commitment. For buyers considering the 2022 Toyota Avalon, these safety accolades provide significant peace of mind, knowing that this vehicle is engineered to prioritize occupant protection in challenging crash scenarios. Choosing a 2022 Toyota Avalon is choosing a vehicle where safety is a paramount concern, alongside its renowned comfort and quality.
