The four-door Mini Cooper Countryman was the only one of 12 cars to earn a top rating of "good" in new frontal crash tests.
The
Nissan Leaf, Nissan Juke, Fiat 500L and Mazda5 wagon all fared worst in
the tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an
Arlington, Va.-based safety group that's funded by insurers.
The
Chevrolet Volt, Ford C-Max, Mitsubishi Lancer, Scion FR-S and Subaru
BRZ all got the second-highest rating of "acceptable." The Hyundai
Veloster and Scion xB were a notch below that, with "marginal" ratings.
The
small overlap front crash test, introduced in 2012, replicates what
happens when 25 percent of a car's front end strikes a rigid object at
40 miles per hour. It's a difficult test because a small area of the
car's front end must absorb and manage the energy from a severe,
high-speed crash.
To
earn a "good" rating, a car must keep the cabin around the occupants
largely intact and protect them with a combination of seat belts and air
bags, the institute said. When a car's cabin collapses, as it did in
the crash tests of the Juke, Leaf, 500L and Mazda5, it can move the
seats and air bags out of place, increasing the risk of injuries.
The
institute said 19 of the 32 small cars it has now tested have earned
"good" or "acceptable" ratings on the small overlap test. The institute
said the Mazda5 was among the worst performers it has tested. Its side
air bags didn't deploy at all and its driver's side door unlatched,
which shouldn't happen during a test.
In
a statement, Mazda pointed out that the Mazda5 has earned "good"
ratings on other IIHS tests, including a front moderate overlap test and
a roof strength test. It earned a "marginal" rating in a
side-impact crash test performed by the institute.
"We
take these results seriously, and are studying the results of these
IIHS tests as we consider the design of future vehicles," the company
said.
The
Chevrolet Volt was the only car in the group to be labeled a "Top
Safety Pick Plus," because it has an optional front crash prevention
system. The C-Max Hybrid, Countryman, Mitsubishi Lancer, Scion FR-S and
Subaru BRZ earned "Top Safety Pick" awards because they don't have
front crash prevention systems.
To
be a top safety pick, vehicles must earn "good" or "acceptable" ratings
for small overlap protection and "good" ratings on the institute's
other four crash tests.
source:-http://www.foxnews.com
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