|
Browse by Tags
All Tags » crash test ( RSS)
-
|
Filed under: Coupes , Government/Legal , Safety , Chrysler, LLC. , Dodge Click above for gallery of 2009 Dodge Challenger crash pics, and here to view video We like our pony cars to have that muscle car look with the power to back it up. The Dodge Challenger makes good on both counts (at least when it's sporting a V8) and now has a five-star safety record to match its performance. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration slammed some Challengers into brick walls to test the new pony car's crash-worthiness, and the results were five stars for both the driver and front passenger in frontal and side impacts. A front crash impact score of five stars means that there is a 10% or less chance of serious injury at 35 mph, and the five-star side impact score indicates a 5% chance of serious injury at 38.5 mph. Follow the jump to watch video of the Dodge Challenger taking on the NHTSA's infamous wall of punishment. The Challenger's sheet metal does a good job of absorbing...
|
-
|
Filed under: Government/Legal , Safety If you've been following the ongoing roof strength regulation saga, this will likely come as no surprise. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters has again asked for an extension to rewrite the government's vehicle roof strength rule. We've been reporting on this for more than three years, and the delays never seem to end (of course, we can assume the big cheese in Washington have more pressing issues on their plates these days). Rewriting the legislation set back in the 1970s isn't as simple as specifying stronger roof pillars. Beefing up the roof will add weight - potentially making a vehicle more top heavy and likely increasing the possibility of a rollover. The new rules will need to address these concerns, and take into account new safety technologies (curtain airbags, stability control, etc...) that are on our current-generation models. While each previous request for an extension included new deadline dates, this latest appeal didn't...
|
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying , Maintenance , Economy , Safety , Ford click above image to view high-res gallery of the 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe Reminding us once again that there's more than meets the eye when shopping for a vehicle are recent impact tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that measure how much it costs to fix a vehicle after after a low-speed accident. Sure, we're all interested in safety and styling, but we should also be concerned with how much these low-speed impacts will cost to repair. The winner of the testing was the Ford Focus , which scored light damage all the way around. The IIHS heaped praise on Ford for designing a bumper that can truly take a bump -- a novel idea. Amazingly, some small cars like the Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Prius and VW Rabbit cost up to a third of the car's worth to fix from damage resulting from a minor impact. That's a big problem for any car, but especially so for those sold on the merits of economy. To...
|
-
|
Filed under: Safety , Crossovers/CUVs , Buick , Chevrolet , GMC , Saturn The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety took some GMC Acadias and smashed them up to see how the big crossovers hold up against immovable objects, and unlike recent tests conducted for the Chevy Equinox and Pontiac Torrent , the news is positive. An AWD Acadia SLE acted as a stand-in for all of the Lambda models - Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, Saturn Outlook, and all Acadia trims included. It didn't matter whether the IIHS attacked the front, side, or rear - the CUV earned a "good" rating in all directions. With the standard fitment of Stabilitrak, the IIHS also bestowed a Top Safety Pick crown on GM's big haulers. The Lambas now have both a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designator about which to brag. [Source: Inside Line ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Safety , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford Click above for a high-res gallery of the Ford Flex. Ford has made safety one of its top priorities, and its efforts have paid off. Not only does the Blue Oval have more five-star crash rated vehicles than any other automaker, but it's added another notch to its safety belt with NHTSA giving the Flex five stars for both front and side impact tests. A front crash impact score of five stars means that there is a 10% or less chance of serious injury at 35 mph, and the five star side impact score indicates a 5% chance of serious injury at 38.5 mph. The Flex comes standard with dual front air bags, headliner mounted side curtain air bags, traction and stability control, and tire pressure monitoring, which helps with NHTSA scoring. The Flex also received four stars for rollover protection, tying the CUV for best in class in the crossover segment. With a Volvo-derived platform and plenty of heft, we're not surprised the Flex achieved a five...
|
-
|
Filed under: Safety , Videos , Ford Hit the jump to view more high res images of Ford's VIRTTEX simulator Ford already boasts has the most five-star crash rated cars and trucks of any automaker, and now the automaker is looking to take the next step by avoiding crashes all together. Technologies like adaptive cruise control, blind spot detectors, and traffic alert will help prevent collisions from ever happening, but testing these technologies can be dangerous. For that reason, Ford uses a simulator to present real-life driving conditions to real drivers without any risk of accident or injury. Ford's Virtual Test Track Experiment, or VIRTTEX, is a very realistic simulator that gives advanced technology researchers real driving data to help refine safety technology. The large spherical bubble houses a full-size Taurus-X that is loaded with computers and cameras. The driver is surrounded by video screens and five projectors that show front, side and rear views, making the test driver...
|
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying , Government/Legal , Safety Click above to view video of the 2008 smart fortwo crash test Each year, it seems as if more and more new models are able to ace both the IIHS' and the government's crash-test ratings. In fact, according to Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, 97-percent of all new cars available today earn the highest four or five-star ratings from NHTSA. These all-too-similar ratings makes it rather difficult for consumers to make a choice based solely on passenger safety, so the Fed's have decided to take another stab at the current rating system, which was introduced way back in 1979. Though still based on a five-star ranking, the revised 2010 ratings will include additional front-end tests and a new side-impact test meant to mimic the impact of a vehicle that collides with a tree or pole. Also new for the '10 model year is an overall rating meant to make comparisons easier between competing vehicles. More changes are possible for...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Safety , Acura Click on the image above for pics of our uncrashed 2009 Acura TSX The all-new 2009 Acura TSX was recently crashed into a barrier at 40 mph, and smacked with a side sled at 31 mph, by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). While the last model (2005-2008 with side airbags) scored "good" in frontal, and "acceptable" in side impact testing, the 2009 model received the highest scores ("good") in both tests. When combined with the improved rear crash test results (seat and head restraint design), the new TSX earned the Institutes's "Top Safety Pick" rating. While our caps are off to Acura, we think it is time to revise all crash test standards (IIHS and NHTSA). Each time the results are released, we can't help but think that the automakers have learned how to ace the tests over the years. Let's bump up the speed in the barrier and sled tests (maybe throw a random angle in there to make...
|
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Safety , Videos , Hatchbacks , SMART The IIHS has put the 2008 smart fortwo through its frontal offset crash test, and the video is on YouTube even though the IIHS hasn't released its results yet. For everyone who points out the benefits of the smart's miniscule size, there are a number of others who say they wouldn't want to go up against a normal American car in a smart. Even the NHTSA had some concerns when it tested the fortwo's crashworthiness . Based on the video after the jump, however, it looks like the smart acquits itself quite well with no deformation of the A-pillar and not even a crack in the windshield. We'll have to wait for the IIHS to give its final, official word, however. Sure, we wouldn't want to be driving a smart fortwo in an accident... but that's only because we don't want to be in an accident. Follow the jump to watch the video for yourself. [Source: YouTube ] Continue reading VIDEO: smart fortwo crash test...
|
-
|
Filed under: Trucks/Pickups , Safety , Ford , Pontiac For those of you interested in picking up one of the new Pontiac G8 ST utes when they come to the US next year there's good news. In a recent round of ute/pickup crash testing in Australia, the Holden Commodore Ute beat all comers to score five stars. No competitor matched the lofty score. The Ford Ranger-based Mazda BT50 got three stars while the Indian Mahindra pickup only managed two. The Mahindra currently doesn't have airbags, which hurt its scores. Look for that to change before Mahindra launches its trucks and SUVs in the US a couple of years from now. For the time being, however, if you plan on driving into any barriers, you'll want to go for the El Camino wannabe. Gallery: Holden VE Ute Gallery: 2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Truck [Source: Drive.com.au ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Etc. , Safety , Driving Crash safety ratings are a big selling point - who's going to buy a car with just two stars? In pursuit of salable collision performance, automakers have turned to stronger metals and better construction, and consumers can reap the benefit by choosing from a panoply of highly rated vehicles. A problem arises, however, if that safety design is ever called upon to perform. Lots of vehicles now sport high strength steel in critical areas like roof pillars, and while it certainly helps protect occupants, it could hinder rescue crews. Tools that once made quick work of crashed vehicles are now having trouble shearing through modern cars. Not only that, modern cars have lots of airbags around the cabin, and there are also worries about cutting high-voltage electrical cabling in hybrid or electric vehicles. Rescuers need to know where all the potentially hazardous equipment lies within a vehicle so that they can safely retrieve human cargo without creating...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , China , Euro , Safety Following its utterly calamitous performance in crash tests conducted by Germany's ADAC, Chinese automaker Brilliance said that it would work with the German body to improve the car's safety. To be honest...
|
-
|
Filed under: Euro , Safety , Videos , Chery Chrysler might want to take another look at its deal with China's Chery Motors to build small cars for it after another video of a European crash test has popped up on YouTube. Russian car magazine AutoRevu...
|
|
|
|