2020 Toyota Corolla Sedan Earns Top Safety Rating

After undergoing a redesign, the 2020 Toyota Corolla has earned the 2019 Top Safety Pick award from the International Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Offered both as a sedan and hatchback, the Corolla recently went through a redesign for the 2020 model year using the same platform as the hatchback. The hatchback version is a new introduction for the 2019 model year and it already received recognition from the IIHS.

The nonprofit organization recently conducted crash tests on the new Corolla and the model successfully passed them with flying colors.

For car models to earn a Top Safety Pick award, the vehicles must earn good ratings in various areas such as the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front side, as well as roof strength and head restraint tests. They must also have a “Good” or “Acceptable” rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test, an “Advanced” or “Superior” rating for front crash prevention, and a “Good” or “Acceptable” rating for the headlights.

The 2020 Toyota Corolla earned “Good” ratings for all crashworthiness evaluations, including the passenger-side small overlap crash, which has always been difficult for various models to ace. The car also earned the “Superior” rating for its standard forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking systems when it was able to prevent a collision at 25 mph.

But despite excelling in several categories, the hatchback only registered “Acceptable” ratings for its headlights, a category that also proved difficult for other car models to earn top marks in. Only the XLE and XSE trims got good marks for the headlights with their Advanced Lighting Package, while the other trim levels were only rated “Marginal”, which is the second-lowest rating.

The Corolla’s standard headlights were only graded “Marginal” because, according to the IIHS, they provided inadequate visibility in multiple test scenarios. This is despite the presence of a high-beam assist feature, a system that automatically switches between high beams and low beams depending on the presence of other vehicles.