Side impact tests
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Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,542
Likes: 22
From: Murphysboro, IL
Side impact tests
WELL DUH!!!
Many of us edemicated know nothings have been saying this for years:
DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- The Dodge Neon, Ford Focus and Volkswagen New Beetle are among the small cars that got the lowest safety rating in new side-impact crash tests performed by the insurance industry, according to results released Sunday.
Fourteen of the 16 cars tested earned a "poor," the lowest of four ratings, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said. The Chevrolet Cobalt and the Toyota Corolla earned the second-highest rating of "acceptable," but only when they were tested with their optional side air bags. They earned "poor" ratings without the air bags.
Other vehicles that earned a "poor" rating were the Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mazda 3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Saturn Ion, Suzuki Forenza and Suzuki Aerio.
The institute's test simulates a severe crash. A barrier designed to resemble the front of a pickup or sport utility vehicle hits the side of the vehicle at 31 mph. A "poor" rating means a high chance of serious injury in a similar crash.
Four of the vehicles tested -- the Elantra, New Beetle, Forenza and Spectra -- have standard, head-protecting side air bags. But the institute's chief operating officer, Adrian Lund, said the cars had poor structure that failed to prevent injuries to the torso and pelvis.
Several of the vehicles offer optional side air bags, but the institute will only test those vehicles without side air bags unless the manufacturer provides a second vehicle with the option installed.
Toyota Motor Co. provided the Corolla with side air bags and General Motors Corp. provided the Cobalt and Saturn Ion. But even when it was tested with its optional side air bags, the Ion got a "poor" rating because the institute said it didn't adequately protect the driver's lower body.
GM said in a statement that the Cobalt and Ion meet or exceed all federal vehicle safety standards and got higher ratings in the institute's frontal crash tests.
The institute was most critical of the Neon, saying the car performed so poorly that the driver likely wouldn't have survived the crash. DaimlerChrysler AG defended the Neon, saying it meets federal safety standards and its performance is similar to other small cars.
"No single test can determine a vehicle's overall safety performance or how the vehicle will perform in a specific crash," DaimlerChrysler said in a statement.
Lund said the ratings were similar to frontal crash test ratings for small cars in 1997. Since then, manufacturers have redesigned those cars and now most get the highest safety rating in frontal crash tests.
"As manufacturers redesign their vehicles, we expect that small cars will get better in the side-impact test too," Lund said.
Many of us edemicated know nothings have been saying this for years:
DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- The Dodge Neon, Ford Focus and Volkswagen New Beetle are among the small cars that got the lowest safety rating in new side-impact crash tests performed by the insurance industry, according to results released Sunday.
Fourteen of the 16 cars tested earned a "poor," the lowest of four ratings, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said. The Chevrolet Cobalt and the Toyota Corolla earned the second-highest rating of "acceptable," but only when they were tested with their optional side air bags. They earned "poor" ratings without the air bags.
Other vehicles that earned a "poor" rating were the Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mazda 3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Saturn Ion, Suzuki Forenza and Suzuki Aerio.
The institute's test simulates a severe crash. A barrier designed to resemble the front of a pickup or sport utility vehicle hits the side of the vehicle at 31 mph. A "poor" rating means a high chance of serious injury in a similar crash.
Four of the vehicles tested -- the Elantra, New Beetle, Forenza and Spectra -- have standard, head-protecting side air bags. But the institute's chief operating officer, Adrian Lund, said the cars had poor structure that failed to prevent injuries to the torso and pelvis.
Several of the vehicles offer optional side air bags, but the institute will only test those vehicles without side air bags unless the manufacturer provides a second vehicle with the option installed.
Toyota Motor Co. provided the Corolla with side air bags and General Motors Corp. provided the Cobalt and Saturn Ion. But even when it was tested with its optional side air bags, the Ion got a "poor" rating because the institute said it didn't adequately protect the driver's lower body.
GM said in a statement that the Cobalt and Ion meet or exceed all federal vehicle safety standards and got higher ratings in the institute's frontal crash tests.
The institute was most critical of the Neon, saying the car performed so poorly that the driver likely wouldn't have survived the crash. DaimlerChrysler AG defended the Neon, saying it meets federal safety standards and its performance is similar to other small cars.
"No single test can determine a vehicle's overall safety performance or how the vehicle will perform in a specific crash," DaimlerChrysler said in a statement.
Lund said the ratings were similar to frontal crash test ratings for small cars in 1997. Since then, manufacturers have redesigned those cars and now most get the highest safety rating in frontal crash tests.
"As manufacturers redesign their vehicles, we expect that small cars will get better in the side-impact test too," Lund said.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 620
Likes: 1
From: Toronto, ON
Well, this sort of makes me feel better about just buying a Pick-up, and now having to probably have to deal with soaring gas prices. At least I'm paying a premium to fuel a vehicle that is relatively safer than the itsy-bitsy tiny uber-compact cars (of which I can't freaking fit in). And you know what, I'm always worried about how the hell I'm going to get out of a car after the wreck when I'm in a small car (especially the back-seat of a small 2-door compact). In my mother's Impreza, if the door didn't open, I'd never get my legs out from between the steering wheel and seat!
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta GA
Yea, it does not take an engineer to determine, if a full sized man can bend a door in 1/2 with his bare hands, a collision with a larger vehicle can be fatal. I remember laughing my head off watching a well built Ford mechanic twist and fold a Hyundai door in 1/2 and then quarters while it was on the car with his hands and knees when they first came out.
I find this bogus
> The institute's test simulates a severe crash. A barrier designed to resemble the
> front of a pickup or sport utility vehicle hits the side of the vehicle at 31 mph.
The OEMs test at 30 mph, so these people test it at 31!
I find this bogus
> The institute's test simulates a severe crash. A barrier designed to resemble the
> front of a pickup or sport utility vehicle hits the side of the vehicle at 31 mph.
The OEMs test at 30 mph, so these people test it at 31!
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 6,777
Likes: 553
From: Kalispell, MT
Keep in mind who is behind the studies. The insurance has a vested interest - they want to continue raking in profits instead of paying claims.
And congress keeps catering to them. Vehicle prices climb as they both "strive to protect the general public and keep them safe and healthy".
Bloody buggers all. Rant over.
And congress keeps catering to them. Vehicle prices climb as they both "strive to protect the general public and keep them safe and healthy".
Bloody buggers all. Rant over.
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,542
Likes: 22
From: Murphysboro, IL
Originally Posted by dono
Quote: WELL DUH!!!
Many of us edemicated know nothings have been saying this for years:
News Flash! Mass wins every time. You will be safer in a Peterbilt than a Beetle.
Dono
Many of us edemicated know nothings have been saying this for years:
News Flash! Mass wins every time. You will be safer in a Peterbilt than a Beetle.
Dono
