Insurance Study Finds GMC Sierra 1500 Best for Safety

A new study of insurance rates for injury protection and medical payments ranked the GMC Sierra 1500 pickup truck highest for occupant injury protection. The Fiat 500 ranks lowest.

Insure.com studied prevailing insurance rates across hundreds of ZIP codes from six major auto-insurance carriers: Allstate, Farmers, Geico, Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm. The firm analyzed premiums for injury coverage, including provisions for uninsured motorists and lost wages, on more than 750 new cars.

Besides the GMC Sierra 1500 (SLE/SLT/Work Truck), the best rates came from the Porsche Cayenne, GMC Yukon (SLT/Denali), GMC Sierra 2500 (SLE only) and GMC Terrain (SLE1 only) — all trucks or SUVs. On the other end, multiple trim levels of the Fiat 500 and 500c (cabrio) rated worst among injury-protection rates. The Kia Rio5 (LX/SX), Toyota Corolla (L only), Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart and Mercedes-Benz CL600 joined the small Fiat among the worst cars for injury-related insurance rates. Four of those five are compact or subcompact, and three of them start under $17,500.

More 2014 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S Photos

Porsche announced plans to bring the Cayenne Turbo S to next week's 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. A range-topping variant of the Cayenne, the Turbo S has been absent from the lineup since the end of the prior generation in 2010. Its successor arrives for the 2014 model year with a 550-horsepower, twin-turbo V-8.

Power hits the ground through torque-vectoring all-wheel drive, and the Turbo S gets to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds — as quick as a 911 Carrera S — on its way to a top speed of 175 mph.

Check out photos of the SUV below.

2014 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, Other Sport SUVs Head to 2013 Detroit Auto Show

At next week's 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, expect a couple SUVs to make a splash in the high-horsepower club — traditionally the province of super-sedans and exotic sports cars. Porsche will unveil a Cayenne Turbo S, complete with a turbo V-8 that kicks out 550 horsepower. That's 10 hp more than last year's Cayenne Turbo with an optional Turbo Power Kit.

More 2013 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

Across the show floor, Jeep will unveil an updated Grand Cherokee and an SRT8 version with a Hemi V-8 the size of Utah. Today's Grand Cherokee SRT8 makes 470 hp; will the 2014 make the 500-hp club? Stay tuned.

The stupid-powerful SUV club goes on. Mercedes-Benz unveiled the GL63 AMG at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show — a $116,925 (excluding a destination fee), three-row SUV with a 550-hp, twin-turbo V-8. No doubt it will be on display in Detroit. Likely so will the automaker's 518-hp ML63 ($97,005), a rival to BMW's 555-hp X5 M ($89,745). Land Rover's redesigned Range Rover, whose sybaritic Supercharged edition ($99,950) boasts a 510-hp, supercharged V-8, will certainly be on display.

Enjoy them all in one place if you can. Seeing one of these on the road will be rare — and you may only spot the taillights.

Related
2013 Detroit Auto Show: What to Expect
2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show
More Automotive News

2013 Cayenne Turbo S Is the Most Powerful Porsche SUV Yet

For the first time in three model years, the Porsche Cayenne is once again available in a Turbo S variant.

The 2013 Cayenne Turbo S makes 550 horsepower, a 50-hp increase from the Cayenne Turbo. The 2009 and 2010 Cayenne had a 550-hp, 4.8-liter V-8 Turbo S trim.

The 2013 Cayenne Turbo S also comes with a 4.8-liter V-8, and it makes 553 pounds-feet of torque. That's 37 more pounds-feet compared with the Cayenne Turbo. The added power helps the Cayenne Turbo S accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds with a top track speed of 175 mph.

Recall Alert: 2012 Porsche Cayenne, 2011-2012 Porsche Panamera

Porsche is recalling 270 model-year 2011-12 versions of the Porsche Panamera Turbo, 2012 Panamera Turbo S and 2012 Porsche Cayenne Turbo due to a potential defect with the engine, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles were manufactured from Sept. 13, 2010, through May 22, 2012. They have two turbochargers with turbine wheels that may fracture due to a casting defect, according to NHTSA. The fracture could draw oil into the exhaust system and cause smoke or a possible car fire.

The defect affects 264 Panameras and six Cayennes, according to the automaker. Porsche isn't aware of any accidents or injuries resulting from the failure of the turbine wheels.

Porsche will notify owners starting this month, and dealers will replace the turbine wheels free of charge. Owners can call Porsche at 800-767-7243 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Related
Research the 2012 Porsche Panamera
Research the 2012 Porsche Cayenne 
Check out Other Recalls

2013 Porsche Cayenne Diesel: Photo Gallery

Porsche's first diesel motor for the U.S. will come in the updated 2013 Cayenne SUV.

More 2012 New York Auto Show Coverage

The 240-horsepower diesel gets an EPA-estimated 20/28/23 mpg city/highway/combined. The model will go on sale this fall for a sticker price of $55,750, excluding the destination charge.

Recall Alert: 2011-12 Porsche Cayenne

Porsche is recalling 20,278 model-year 2011 and 2012 Cayenne, Cayenne S, Cayenne S Hybrid and Cayenne Turbo SUVs because the headlights may come loose and detach from the fender, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The vehicles affected by the recall were built from March 8, 2010, through Jan. 31, 2012. You can find the vehicle's build date on a label affixed to the driver-side doorjamb. A detached headlamp could cause a loss in visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlamp locking assemblies for free. Owners can call Porsche at 800-767-7243 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Porsche Announces Macan SUV

The Porsche Macan compact SUV will slot below the Cayenne in Porsche's linup, bringing the automaker's sport-ute count to two. Porsche previously announced plans to sell a compact SUV, but it was rumored to be called Cajun. The Macan name is a new one for Porsche, and it is derived from the Indonesian word for tiger.

Though we don't know much about the Macan, it's likely that it will share its platform with Audi's compact SUV, the Q5. Based on the sketch, the Macan looks like a compact four-door crossover with a sloping roofline, sleek lines and coupe-like silhouette. Its closest competitor will probably be Land Rover's newest SUV, the compact Range Rover Evoque. To wit, Porsche says the Macan will be off-road ready.

The Macan will be built at Porsche's plant in Leipzig, Germany, in late 2013. No word on when it will hit U.S. dealerships, but probably in early 2014.

MotherProof.com Car Seat Check Recap

You’d think a small sports coupe like the 2011 BMW 1 Series M would be a poor fit for installing a child-safety seat. Surprisingly, though, the seats weren’t all that difficult to install. To read more, check out MotherProof.com’s Car Seat Check series.

2011 BMW 1 Series M: Car Seat Check
2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid: Car Seat Check

Cars.com Podcast: 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe, 2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid

If it’s not unbearably hot where you live, you may be shopping for a convertible. If a convertible has never appealed to you because it didn’t come in the form of an SUV, then you must listen to this podcast about Nissan’s all-new Murano CrossCabriolet. Editors Joe Bruzek, Bill Jackson and Joe Wiesenfelder discuss this unique entry as well as Hyundai’s two-door sport coupe and Porsche’s redesigned hybrid SUV.

Download via iTunes
Download MP3