Revised Side Crash Test | Not many sedans offer good looks

Charles Rene
Press

However, there is always room for improvement, as shown by the results of the revised side crash test protocol conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The American company recently tested five mid-size sedans, a compact sedan and a station wagon exclusively by applying a new version of this important test.

Henceforth the weight of mobile barrier increased by 400 kg to 1900 kg. It is estimated to be faster against the previously tested vehicle at 50 km/h to 60 km/h. The idea is to make the test more realistic as SUVs become the majority on the roads.

Of the seven vehicles analyzed, only the Subaru Outback received the highest score described as “good.” The Honda Accord has a so-called “average” rating. The Hyundai Sonata and Volkswagen Jetta, both midsize and compact sedans, came in with an “acceptable” score. The Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima and Chevrolet Malibu are at the bottom of the list with overall performance rated “Poor” by the IIHS.

Sedans are clearly inferior to these poor performance SUVs, which makes them more vulnerable. A moving barrier will bump up against the doors, making the shield less effective.

For the three lowest-scoring sedans, the dummy’s head went under the side curtain to directly touch the window sill molding.

The IIHS notes that all of these models received “good” ratings in previous testing.

These new parameters are estimated to increase the energy consumed during a collision by 82%.