Associated Press
Sunday March 6,
By Dee-Ann Durbin, Associated Press Writer

Small Cars Test Poorly for Side Impact-
Dodge Neon, Ford Focus and VW New Beetle Among Small Cars Getting Lowest Side-Impact Rating

DETROIT (AP) -- The Dodge Neon, Ford Focus and Volkswagen New Beetle are among the small cars that got the lowest safety rating in new side-impact crash tests performed by the insurance industry, according to results released Sunday.

Eleven of the 13 cars tested earned a "poor," the lowest of four ratings, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said. The Chevrolet Cobalt and the Toyota Corolla earned the second-highest rating of "acceptable," but only when they were tested with their optional side air bags. They earned "poor" ratings without the air bags.

Other vehicles that earned a "poor" rating were the Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mazda 3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Saturn Ion, Suzuki Forenza and Suzuki Aerio.

The institute's test simulates a severe crash. A barrier designed to resemble the front of a pickup or sport utility vehicle hits the side of the vehicle at 31 mph. A "poor" rating means a high chance of serious injury in a similar crash.

Four of the vehicles tested -- the Elantra, New Beetle, Forenza and Spectra -- have standard, head-protecting side air bags. But the institute's chief operating officer, Adrian Lund, said the cars had poor structure that failed to prevent injuries to the torso and pelvis.

Several of the vehicles offer optional side air bags, but the institute will only test those vehicles without side air bags unless the manufacturer provides a second vehicle with the option installed.

Toyota Motor Co. provided the Corolla with side air bags and General Motors Corp. provided the Cobalt and Saturn Ion. But even when it was tested with its optional side air bags, the Ion got a "poor" rating because the institute said it didn't adequately protect the driver's lower body.

GM said in a statement that the Cobalt and Ion meet or exceed all federal vehicle safety standards and got higher ratings in the institute's frontal crash tests.

The institute was most critical of the Neon, saying the car performed so poorly that the driver likely wouldn't have survived the crash. DaimlerChrysler AG defended the Neon, saying it meets federal safety standards and its performance is similar to other small cars.

"No single test can determine a vehicle's overall safety performance or how the vehicle will perform in a specific crash," DaimlerChrysler said in a statement.

Lund said the ratings were similar to frontal crash test ratings for small cars in 1997. Since then, manufacturers have redesigned those cars and now most get the highest safety rating in frontal crash tests.

"As manufacturers redesign their vehicles, we expect that small cars will get better in the side-impact test too," Lund said.

 

Ouch! That's gotta suck.

A shame that the Cobalt got a poor rating but at least most of its competition fared the same or worse. I'd consider getting side airbags on my Cobalt but in Canada, you're forced to get OnStar (for well over $1000) and I'm not doing that.

Interestingly, the Civic (what I drive now) wasn't named. I guess it must have done really well.

 

well on the tv they did the test and showed it. the cobalt without side airbigs did poor. the cobalt with side airbags did 2nd highest rating they had.

 

They didn't mention the civic because they did not test it. The Corolla and Cobalt were the only two to pass and that is with side airbags. I don't recommend getting broadsided by an SUV going 35mph in any small car.

 

THe cobalt had the BEST rating of all small cars front, side, and rear! Way to go Chevy!!!

 

Where do ou see that? i can't find it.

 

http://12.4.65.102/vehicle_ratings/c..._overall_c.htm

 

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong about this...

It wasn't tested because there are no new body styles and/or changes to the vehicle. If I'm not mistaken about all of the others, they all have updated things since the last batch of tests.

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to have the same tests on the same vehicles without changing anything.

Villain

 

Let me put it to you this way:

If you get hit by another vehicle at 60 MPH on the side, you'd just better pray you live, in whatever vehicle you are driving. Most people do not survive these crashes - 100%.

The National Insurance institute recommends Side Air bags as they reduce HEAD TRAUMA by 50%, but note - even then, you may never be the same. It's great you save your head, but with a Smashed Pelvic bone, you'll be in a wheel chair for life.

If I wreck, I'm just hoping I am alive.

Don't be chinsy with safety, if you can get the Suplamental Airbag system, DO IT!

 

I am sorry but small cars and crashes don't do well together. When I am in my Ram, I feel like the only thing going to hurt me is a Semi truck. In my cobalt, its like a mouse trying to stay away from the cat

 

I would definately feel safer in a big truck, but I would also feel horrible if I T-boned some guy in a little Miata or VW Golf and killed them. People should only buy big cars like SUV's and Trucks if they actually use them for what they're for. I mean 'cmon half of the people that drive SUV's don't go offroad at all. Buy a mini-van. You buy those kinds of cars if you tow stuff, haul stuff in your truckbed like pebbles and dirt, go offroad, etc. etc. You all get my point. At least the Cobalt with side airbags got acceptable. That makes me feel a little safer.

 

i thought it would have been a little better. hmm oh well they can only improve upon it.

 

eh side airbags just raise your cg....

 

It was all over the news today. Cobalt among the best cars in the side impact crash for small cars
Neon is he worst!

 

so an ss/sc is safer than a SRT-4?

 

According to the Canadian Cobalt pamphlet, the upper models require OnStar, but the base models require just ABS.

 

While I'm inclined to say yes, their initial statement doesn't mean the SRT-4. Even though it is based off the Neon body, from what I've read it is completely different, inside and out. It's still very possible the crash tests would be similar or same, but I wouldn't group the two without further information. I'm sure it was an actual base Neon, not an SRT-4.