When it comes to purchasing a new Toyota Sienna and Acura, whether it is a family-oriented minivan or a sleek luxury sedan, one factor stands above all others: safety. We want to know that in the event of the unthinkable, the engineering surrounding us is capable of providing maximum protection. In the automotive world, there is no higher praise than the IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus (+) award.
Recently, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) put two very different vehicles through the ringer: the 2020 Toyota Sienna and the 2021 Acura TLX (often discussed alongside 2020 transitions). Both emerged not just as survivors, but as champions of crashworthiness.
In this deep dive, we explore what it takes to earn the “Plus” designation, how these two vehicles managed to beat the odds, and why these ratings are a massive win for consumers looking for peace of mind on the road.
What Does Toyota Sienna and Acura Actually Mean?
The IIHS does not hand out awards lightly. To earn the “Plus” at the end of their Top Safety Pick title, a vehicle must go above and beyond the standard rigorous testing.
The Six Crashworthiness Pillars
To even be considered, a vehicle must earn a “Good” rating in six different crash tests:
Driver-side small overlap front
Passenger-side small overlap front
Moderate overlap front
Original side
Roof strength
Head restraints and seats
The “Plus” Factor: Headlights and Prevention
The difference between a “Top Safety Pick” and a “Top Safety Pick Plus” usually comes down to visibility and technology. For the “Plus” designation, a vehicle must provide Good or Acceptable headlights as standard equipment across all trim levels. Furthermore, it must feature advanced front crash prevention systems that earn “Advanced” or “Superior” ratings in both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations.
The Toyota Sienna: A Family Fortress
Minivans are often the primary transport for our most precious cargo—our families. For years, the Toyota Sienna has been a staple in driveways across North America, but the 2020 and subsequent 2021 redesigns took safety to a new level.
Mastering the Small Overlap Test
Historically, minivans struggled with the passenger-side small overlap test due to their large side-sliding doors and unique structural challenges. Toyota engineers went back to the drawing board to reinforce the door pillars and frame. The result? A “Good” rating that ensures passengers in the front seat are just as protected as the driver.
Toyota Safety Sense (TSS)
The Sienna comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense, a suite of active safety features that acted as a key contributor to its IIHS victory.
Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection: This system uses a camera and radar to “see” obstacles ahead and can apply the brakes automatically if the driver fails to react.
Lane Departure Alert: Helps prevent the “drift” that causes side-swipe accidents on long highway trips.
The Acura TLX: Luxury Meets Rigidity
While the Sienna focuses on family utility, the Acura TLX focuses on precision and performance. However, Acura proves that you don’t have to sacrifice safety for a sporty driving experience.
Next-Generation ACE Body Structure
Acura uses what they call Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE). This body structure is designed to absorb and deflect energy away from the cabin during a collision. In the 2021 model year (which followed the 2020 production cycle), the TLX featured a world-first “catcher’s mitt” passenger airbag designed to cradle the head and reduce rotation during angled impacts.
Standard LED Jewel Eye Headlights
One of the main reasons the TLX secured the “Plus” rating was its lighting. Many luxury brands hide their best headlights behind expensive “technology packages.” Acura, however, made high-performing LED Jewel Eye headlights standard. These lights provide superior illumination on sharp curves, which is a critical metric in the IIHS scoring system.
Why Headlight Ratings Matter More Than You Think
You might wonder why a safety award depends so heavily on light bulbs. The data shows that about half of all fatal crashes happen at night, even though there is significantly less traffic on the road.
Overcoming the Dark
Many modern vehicles have powerful engines but “Poor” rated headlights that don’t allow a driver enough time to react to an animal or a stalled car at highway speeds. By requiring “Good” standard headlights for the Top Safety Pick Plus award, the IIHS is forcing manufacturers to stop treating visibility as a luxury add-on and start treating it as a fundamental right.
How to Use These Ratings When Buying Used
If you are shopping for a pre-owned 2020 Toyota Sienna or a 2021 Acura TLX, these ratings provide a powerful bargaining chip and a safety roadmap.
Verify the Trim: While the “Plus” award means standard lights were good, always check if the specific vehicle you are looking at has had any aftermarket modifications that might have compromised the original safety sensors.
Check the Build Date: Sometimes manufacturers make “mid-year” adjustments to the frame or software to improve crash scores. Look at the sticker on the driver’s side door jamb to see exactly when the car was built.
Insurance Savings: Vehicles with Top Safety Pick Plus ratings are often cheaper to insure. Insurance companies know these cars are less likely to be involved in a total-loss accident and are better at protecting occupants, which reduces medical claim costs.
