Small cars do badly in side crash test
Of 14 small cars tested by insurance group, 12 are rated as "Poor."
March 7, 2005: 7:06 AM EST
Insurance Institute Side Impact Crash Test
Tests were performed on 14 small cars. Those with optional side airbags were tested without them, and again with them if the manufacturer requested it.
Insurance Institute Side Impact Crash Test
Tests were performed on 14 small cars. Those with optional side airbags were tested without them, and again with them if the manufacturer requested it.
Car Head-protecting side airbags Rating
Chevrolet Cobalt Optional (tested with) Good
Toyota Corolla Optional (tested with) Good
Chevrolet Cobalt Optional (tested without) Poor
Volkswagen New Beetle Standard Poor
Suzuki Aerio Standard Poor
Mitsubishi Lancer Optional (tested without) Poor
Mazda3 Optional (tested without) Poor
Ford Focus Optional (tested without) Poor
Hyundai Elantra Standard Poor
Toyota Corolla Optional (tested without) Poor
Kia Spectra Standard Poor
Suzuki Firenza Standard Poor
Nissan Sentra Standard Poor
Saturn Ion Optional (tested with) Poor
Saturn Ion Optional (tested without)
Dodge Neon Optional (tested without) Poor
Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Of 14 small cars involved in a test of side-impact crash safety, 12 received a rating of "Poor" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Because of these results, Consumer Reports announced Sunday night that it was removing the Ford Focus as its pick as the best small car for 2005.
Only the Chevrolet Cobalt and Toyota Corolla, when equipped with optional head-protecting side airbags, received ratings of "Acceptable," the second-highest rating on the Institute's four-point scale. "Poor," which the other 12 vehicles received, is the worst possible rating.
Both the Cobalt and the Corolla earned a rating of "Poor" when tested without the side airbags. If a vehicle has side airbags as an option, rather than standard equipment, the Institute tests the vehicle without them. Vehicles are then re-tested with side airbags if the manufacturer requests it and pays the costs involved.
The Dodge Neon, which performed worst on the test, the Institute said, was singled out for particularly harsh criticism in the Insurance Institute's report.
The Insurance Institute's side impact test is designed to simulate the impact of a pick-up truck or SUV into the side of a vehicle carrying relatively small women. In the test, a barrier weighing 3,300 pounds is pushed into the side of the vehicle at a speed of 31 miles per hour.
The U.S. government also tests vehicles for side-impact safety, but uses a slightly different test. That test uses a barrier that is lower to the ground, simulating a car, but moving faster than in the Insurance Institute's test. The Neon earned three out of a possible five stars in the government's side impact crash test.
Several of the cars earned "Poor" ratings in spite of having head-protecting side airbags. Although the airbags did protect the crash test dummies' heads, the impact still inflicted severe punishment on the dummies' bodies.
"Side airbags can protect the head, but if the vehicle structure doesn't hold up well then serious injuries to other body regions still can occur," said Adrian Lund, chief operating officer of the Institiute. "With better structures along with the side airbags, the performances of these vehicles would improve."
____________________ "Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either, just fuck off and leave me alone. "
Well, I can say there is something to be said for side impact air bags and curtains. However, as stated by Mr. V - this wouldn't change my mind on the Focus.
I have been in two major accidents in the Focus ZX3 and I've come out unscathed.
Also, as mentioned in this article, they are simulating an impact of a Truck or SUV - solution - get rid of these damned things or hold them more responsible - increase their insurance costs, not mine. I'm being ecologically friendly in many ways. I own a Nearly Zero Emissions vehicle and I use lubricants that don't need to be dumped every 3 months or 3k miles. That should count for something.
I also have SAB in my car...mind you, I don't want to be T-boned by anything, but I do look for safety features.
I think Consumer Reports demoting the Focus like that is unfair. Look at all of the cars that scored the same or lower?
Solution - make it manditory industry wide for side curtain & airbags with re-inforced beams in the doors. DUH!
____________________ Get in, Sit down, Shut up and HANG ON!
as a result of this test Consumer Reports removed the Focus from its list of Ten Best cars, and the title of best small car. They are now recommending that anyone interested in a Focus sedan, consider the Corolla as the best alternative in this category.
I hate to say it, but they are right. Reliability, safety, etc. Ford is losing market share hand over fist, and I don't blame people. I didn't think you'd ever hear this from me, but reliability means alot, my fun little car isn't so much fun when it's always got something wrong with it.
It really sucks that the Focus got demoted, but as I recall, the Focus has never gotten a good side impact rating, not since it came out!
Now side impact isn't really my concern, and I've seen enough front-end totalled Foci with drivers/passengers that walked away unscathed to feel plenty safe in my car.
I gotta go with Chelly here though, why not equip all cars with side bags standard? Years ago imagining standard pass. front bags, or airbags at all, would seem crazy, but here we are! I think it just makes common sense to put them in cars if it'll help, and i feel like eventually the auto industry might do that. I would like to see how the Focus fares if tested with the side bags, since they're available it only seems right that Ford should check?!
Now this is pretty bad news for the cars that were rated Poor even WITH their side airbags, but Sentra, Hyundai, Suzuki, Kia, Ion... would never be on my "looking at" lists, for matters of safety and other reasons! I'd also never buy a Corolla, despite what CR suggests... there's a trillion of them around here and even with their cute S/sporty package they're still one of the most boring cars I've ever seen, maybe excluding Camry.
Last edited on Mon Mar 7th, 2005 06:31 pm by lil duratec
03 white zx3 wrote: The Insurance Institute's side impact test is designed to simulate the impact of a pick-up truck or SUV into the side of a vehicle carrying relatively small women. In the test, a barrier weighing 3,300 pounds is pushed into the side of the vehicle at a speed of 31 miles per hour.
So I take it most of us on the board here are relatively small women. Rick what are you hiding on us.... and what is your "Real" name...
I biggest thing I dislike about this test is that now the insurance will go up once again for the focus because it's unsafe. It already went up because people are totaling the car left and right but common....
Oh and as for CR..... It might as well be called Crap Report.... They also gave the new 2004 F150 bad reviews basicly saying it should not be built or sold but it still outsold the others, and like the Focus is bound to have a few "first year" problems(2004 was the complete redesign of the truck).. And someone once mentioned somewhere (can't remember)that the CR people that test these cars probably don't spend much time in them because they want to drive around in the $50K+ cars. Don't know how true that is but it gets you thinking(as far as CR and autos go).
Well, there are always other things that play into sales numbers which is why we don't use those to determine quality of a vehicle. It wouldn't be fair to assume that because the new F-150 outsold other trucks that it is "better" in any way. One could simply infer that it is because it is cheaper on average than other trucks that it sells better. I'm not saying this IS the reason. I'm just saying that price goes along ways as well. To be honest I see more GMC's than Ford's in my area, who know's why? Either way though, like I said before, the Corolla might be bland and boring, but it's just as bland and boring to have your car in the shop every 2 months because the quality of your ride is sub-par. I love my Focus, I really do, but I'm sick and tired of me paying for a car that I spend more time getting fixed or babying because it needs to be fixed than driving. It's played out.
03 white zx3 wrote: The Insurance Institute's side impact test is designed to simulate the impact of a pick-up truck or SUV into the side of a vehicle carrying relatively small women. In the test, a barrier weighing 3,300 pounds is pushed into the side of the vehicle at a speed of 31 miles per hour.
So I take it most of us on the board here are relatively small women. Rick what are you hiding on us.... and what is your "Real" name...
I biggest thing I dislike about this test is that now the insurance will go up once again for the focus because it's unsafe. It already went up because people are totaling the car left and right but common....
Oh and as for CR..... It might as well be called Crap Report.... They also gave the new 2004 F150 bad reviews basicly saying it should not be built or sold but it still outsold the others, and like the Focus is bound to have a few "first year" problems(2004 was the complete redesign of the truck).. And someone once mentioned somewhere (can't remember)that the CR people that test these cars probably don't spend much time in them because they want to drive around in the $50K+ cars. Don't know how true that is but it gets you thinking(as far as CR and autos go).
I am a "relatively small woman" and think it's about damned time they do some tests with dummies the size of myself instead of a 6 foot 200 pound male
I never would have bought my Focus if I had been informed of the crashtest rating (or even thought about it while I was buying it). Unfortunately that is a thought that never even crossed my mind once. I'm sure it's a great car for those of you guys (and gals) without kids and all, but the ZX3 is not a family car IMO. I'd give anything to have my old Mazda MPV back today. I love my ZX3 but I can't help feeling unsafe for my daughter while I'm driving in it.
What I don't understand is how the 2005 can do so much better than the 2004 and still be pulled from the CR best pick? Why not make a huge fuss out of it before?
____________________ "Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either, just fuck off and leave me alone. "
RPIJG wrote: Well, there are always other things that play into sales numbers which is why we don't use those to determine quality of a vehicle. It wouldn't be fair to assume that because the new F-150 outsold other trucks that it is "better" in any way. One could simply infer that it is because it is cheaper on average than other trucks that it sells better. I'm not saying this IS the reason. I'm just saying that price goes along ways as well. To be honest I see more GMC's than Ford's in my area, who know's why? Either way though, like I said before, the Corolla might be bland and boring, but it's just as bland and boring to have your car in the shop every 2 months because the quality of your ride is sub-par. I love my Focus, I really do, but I'm sick and tired of me paying for a car that I spend more time getting fixed or babying because it needs to be fixed than driving. It's played out.
Amen bruthah! Although there are many things about my ZX3 that I love, there are almost as many that I don't. To be perfectly honest, this, so far, has been the most troublesome car that I've owned in the past 30 years. In fact, yesterday, I just sprung for the extended warrantee with 0 deductible to 7 years/75,000 miles. Cost me $1440, & if things continue to go the way they have so far, I'm betting that it won't be long before I get my money's worth out of it.
I know this is heresy, but of the cars on the market right now, if I was looking, I'd buy the 2 door Accord Coupe with the V6 & 6 speed gear box. If you haven't driven this car, you really have no idea just how good it is.
____________________ If you can't read this, you're illiterate.
I definitely get what you guys are saying about the reliability issue. I guess I've just been lucky, mine's ben trouble-free for like 17000 miles, but I know a lot of people have different stories!
Also, I don't have a family, and doubt the Focus would be my kid-carrying car if I did... I love it but I'd have another vehicle (in addition to my zx3) if I had those sorts of priorities and responsibilites.
RPIJG wrote: Just wait, at 36,001 miles your car will fall to shit faster than Gary Busey in a opium den.ROLF! Dammit Joe. Now I have to go upstairs & pee.
____________________ If you can't read this, you're illiterate.
Just my 2 cents.
I don't want any more airbags or other widgets in my cars. I went the ZX5 route instead of the ZX3 for a couple of reasons, one of which was it's stronger/stiffer with a tiny weight penalty.
Funny how none of these reports ever take in to consideration that a small nimble car can stay out of trouble more easily than a 2 ton suv.
____________________
A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams...John Barrymore
Chelly03PZEV wrote: Well, I can say there is something to be said for side impact air bags and curtains. However, as stated by Mr. V - this wouldn't change my mind on the Focus.
I have been in two major accidents in the Focus ZX3 and I've come out unscathed.
Also, as mentioned in this article, they are simulating an impact of a Truck or SUV - solution - get rid of these damned things or hold them more responsible - increase their insurance costs, not mine. I'm being ecologically friendly in many ways. I own a Nearly Zero Emissions vehicle and I use lubricants that don't need to be dumped every 3 months or 3k miles. That should count for something.
I also have SAB in my car...mind you, I don't want to be T-boned by anything, but I do look for safety features.
I think Consumer Reports demoting the Focus like that is unfair. Look at all of the cars that scored the same or lower?
Solution - make it manditory industry wide for side curtain & airbags with re-inforced beams in the doors. DUH!
We all in TFNE can attest to that chelly. Don't care what anyone says bad about the focus. Mine has been through thick and thin for me. Twice I came out w/ no body damage other than the last accident to my focus and that it needed suspension work done. Other than that, that is why I got another focus.
I figure with my SVTF, I have a better chance at avoiding an accident if at all possible (since it's quicker, handles better) then a Corolla...hasn't changed my mind...
____________________ 02 SVT Focus, CD Silver, No. 2032.
.... and what is your "Real" name...
I mean, you are getting older 
