Well I should have gotten a Cobalt.....or not
Many small cars fail crash test
Side-impact results not `acceptable' in 11 out of 13 vehicles
By Rick Popely
Tribune staff reporter
Published March 7, 2005
Eleven of 13 small cars, including six with side air bags, fared poorly in side-impact crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Chevrolet Cobalt and Toyota Corolla, when equipped with optional side air bags, were the only 2005 models to earn "acceptable" ratings, the institute's second highest. Without the air bags, both were rated "poor" for side crashes.
Cobalt, a new model for 2005, was rated "good," the institute's highest rating, for front and rear crashes. The Corolla was judged "good" for front impacts but "poor" for rear crashes.
Cars rated "poor" in side-impact test results released Monday were the Dodge Neon, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mazda3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Saturn Ion, Suzuki Aerio and Forenza, and Volkswagen Beetle.
The Elantra, Spectra, Ion, Aerio, Forenza and Beetle fared poorly despite having side air bags.
Institute President Brian O'Neill said the devices still improve head protection and cited weak structures or poor interior designs that allowed torso injuries for the poor performance of cars with the side bags.
"There is absolutely no question that you must have side air bags with head protection in such a crash," O'Neill said. "Otherwise, your head is naked. Everything else being equal, you will benefit from side-curtain air bags."
In the institute's test, a 3,300-pound barrier that simulates the front of a sport-utility vehicle or pickup truck crashes into the side of a vehicle. The barrier is taller than the one used in the government's side test and is more likely to cause head injuries, which are measured on crash dummies.
The institute describes the side crash, conducted at 31 m.p.h., as a "severe test" likely to cause minor injuries even on cars rated "good," though it does not quantify the chances.
There is a "much higher likelihood" of severe or life-threatening injuries in a car rated "poor," spokesman Russ Rader said.
In the latest side crashes, Rader said fatal injuries were likely in the Neon, Sentra and Mazda3.
The institute called the Neon, which was tested without optional side air bags, "a disaster." The car sustained severe structural damage, and the heads of dummies seated in the front and rear were struck in the test, making it likely that live occupants would have been killed.
Neon was rated "marginal" for front crashes, the institute's second-lowest rating, and "poor" for rear collisions.
In a statement, the Chrysler Group said: "The Neon has performed well under a variety of internal and external test conditions, exceeding all federal safety standards for side-impact protection."
Chrysler spokesman Max Gates said that the Neon was introduced before the institute developed its side-impact test, from which it released results in 2003, and that production of the car ends later this year. The new Dodge Caliber will replace the Neon in the 2006 calendar year.
"[Neon] was designed six years ago, and the IIHS wasn't even doing this test at that time," Gates said. "Why would they test our vehicle when they know we have a new model coming?"
O'Neill said the institute, which is funded by and lobbies for major insurers, will delay a test for up to six months if a manufacturer advises that it is making significant changes that could affect the results. Chrysler, he said, did not indicate that for the Neon.
"There is no question that performance in our test is related to how recent the design is," O'Neill said. "But as far as the American public is concerned, the Neon is a new product."
The institute will test the Honda Civic, the best-selling small car, and the Mini Cooper and Subaru Impreza later this year after they undergo design changes.
In frontal crash tests released in December, the Kia Spectra was rated "poor." The Spectra was tested again after Kia revised the front air bags and was rated "acceptable."`
Many small cars fail crash test
Side-impact results not `acceptable' in 11 out of 13 vehicles
By Rick Popely
Tribune staff reporter
Published March 7, 2005
Eleven of 13 small cars, including six with side air bags, fared poorly in side-impact crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Chevrolet Cobalt and Toyota Corolla, when equipped with optional side air bags, were the only 2005 models to earn "acceptable" ratings, the institute's second highest. Without the air bags, both were rated "poor" for side crashes.
Cobalt, a new model for 2005, was rated "good," the institute's highest rating, for front and rear crashes. The Corolla was judged "good" for front impacts but "poor" for rear crashes.
Cars rated "poor" in side-impact test results released Monday were the Dodge Neon, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mazda3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Saturn Ion, Suzuki Aerio and Forenza, and Volkswagen Beetle.
The Elantra, Spectra, Ion, Aerio, Forenza and Beetle fared poorly despite having side air bags.
Institute President Brian O'Neill said the devices still improve head protection and cited weak structures or poor interior designs that allowed torso injuries for the poor performance of cars with the side bags.
"There is absolutely no question that you must have side air bags with head protection in such a crash," O'Neill said. "Otherwise, your head is naked. Everything else being equal, you will benefit from side-curtain air bags."
In the institute's test, a 3,300-pound barrier that simulates the front of a sport-utility vehicle or pickup truck crashes into the side of a vehicle. The barrier is taller than the one used in the government's side test and is more likely to cause head injuries, which are measured on crash dummies.
The institute describes the side crash, conducted at 31 m.p.h., as a "severe test" likely to cause minor injuries even on cars rated "good," though it does not quantify the chances.
There is a "much higher likelihood" of severe or life-threatening injuries in a car rated "poor," spokesman Russ Rader said.
In the latest side crashes, Rader said fatal injuries were likely in the Neon, Sentra and Mazda3.
The institute called the Neon, which was tested without optional side air bags, "a disaster." The car sustained severe structural damage, and the heads of dummies seated in the front and rear were struck in the test, making it likely that live occupants would have been killed.
Neon was rated "marginal" for front crashes, the institute's second-lowest rating, and "poor" for rear collisions.
In a statement, the Chrysler Group said: "The Neon has performed well under a variety of internal and external test conditions, exceeding all federal safety standards for side-impact protection."
Chrysler spokesman Max Gates said that the Neon was introduced before the institute developed its side-impact test, from which it released results in 2003, and that production of the car ends later this year. The new Dodge Caliber will replace the Neon in the 2006 calendar year.
"[Neon] was designed six years ago, and the IIHS wasn't even doing this test at that time," Gates said. "Why would they test our vehicle when they know we have a new model coming?"
O'Neill said the institute, which is funded by and lobbies for major insurers, will delay a test for up to six months if a manufacturer advises that it is making significant changes that could affect the results. Chrysler, he said, did not indicate that for the Neon.
"There is no question that performance in our test is related to how recent the design is," O'Neill said. "But as far as the American public is concerned, the Neon is a new product."
The institute will test the Honda Civic, the best-selling small car, and the Mini Cooper and Subaru Impreza later this year after they undergo design changes.
In frontal crash tests released in December, the Kia Spectra was rated "poor." The Spectra was tested again after Kia revised the front air bags and was rated "acceptable."`
