We can imagine that automakers see the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as something of a thorn in their side, given that the nonprofit’s studies often call for major alterations to vehicles in short time spans. Add this to the pile: In its second round of headlight testing, the IIHS reports that many popular small SUVs throw out poor illumination?an issue automakers will have to address if they’re to win the coveted Top Safety Pick + award for 2017.

None of the 21 models rated the top Good rating, in which the low- and high-beams measure certain minimum distances under five tests and minimize oncoming glare (read how the IIHS tests work here). Only four of the 2016 and 2017 models rated Acceptable?the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, and Mazda CX-3?and even then, this was only on higher trim levels with upgraded headlights. The BMW X1’s optional bi-LED headlights rated Marginal, alongside the Mitsubishi Outlander, which uses LED for low-beams and halogens for high-beams. The Audi Q3’s xenon bulbs garnered the worst score, Poor, along with the Honda HR-V and 10 other vehicles. The technology, the IIHS says, doesn’t matter. It’s the measured illumination on the road that counts.
While there are no government tests that measure on-road effectiveness, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will incorporate similar headlight ratings when it overhauls crash tests for the 2019 model year. IIHS spokesman Russ Rader ...