Honda Motor Co.’s CR-V and Ford Motor Co.’s Escape won the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s top rating in side crash tests when equipped with head-protecting air bags.

The safety group conducted the tests on 2005 models using a moving sled that hit the vehicles at 31 mph. Previously, the Escape had the worst grade when tested without the head-protecting equipment.

The grade given Friday was also a marked improvement for the CR-V, which earned the second-lowest grade of “marginal'” when tested last year without head-protection air bags.