The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's new testing methodology has proven to be remarkably tougher than its old tests. In the past NHTSA gave out five-star ratings like they were "massage" pamphlets on the Vegas strip, but the new regulations have led to only 11 five-star Overall Vehicle Scores out of 50 vehicles. So with that in mind it's big news for Honda that the all-new 2011 Odyssey has earned an overall five-star rating for all three crash tests, test category and overall. In fact, the Odyssey's only four-star score came in rollover testing. Honda points to its new Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure as a reason the Odyssey fared so well in NHTSA testing. ACE evenly distributes crash energy throughout the front end of the vehicle, making front-end collisions less dangerous for passengers.

The Odyssey's big win from NHTSA comes after the popular minivan managed the top score of "Good" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Odyssey isn't yet eligible for the Top Safety Pick designation since it hasn't been tested for roof strength. Hit the jump to read over the Honda press release.


Gallery: 2011 Honda Odyssey: Review




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