Filed under: Car Buying
Cobalt gets low crash test rating
GM's newest economy offering, the
Chevy Cobalt, received two stars out
of five in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's side crash test for the driver. When the Cobalt was
tested for a frontal crash, it received five stars for the passenger and four for the driver. The Cobalt offers side
curtain airbags as an option, but this test represented one without the side airbag.
NHTSA tested 19 models from various makers and the Cobalt was the only car to receive two stars in any category. Two
other cars tested in the compact class, the Scion tC and Saturn Ion received better scores. The Toyota Avalon, Volvo
V70 and Mitsubishi Galant received top scores.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
amped 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
GM strikes again! They should get an award.
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paul 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
lets see what is going on here
they tested the japanese models with the side air bags and the american models without. then they come out with the ratings that the japanese models test better.
WHY DID THEY NOT GET THE AMOERICAN MODELS WITH THE SIDE AIR BAGS.
Was this test conducted by the marketing company for the Jananese car companies.
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Bob 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
I'm confused the Saturn ION and Chevy Cobalt use the same chassis, so why did the ION have better ratings?
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K Smith 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
The Ion / Cobalt comparison is interesting because in the IIHS tests the Cobalt did better than the Ion.
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Tom L 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
Check the IIHS srash test scores... They've done all the tests on the Cobalt and from what I found it had the best overall scores of any car in the class.... a Best Pick for Frontal Offset, A Good rating from the rear, and very good overall side impact scores with the curtain airbags.
Poor rear scores are a turn off to me for both the Elantra and the Corolla. The next car I buy will be in a lot of commuter traffic... rear scores are really important to me.
Ta,
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Steve B. 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
Paul and others wondering,
These tests are on the base model. In this case, the Cobalt base model doesn't have the curtain airbags. They are trying to test the most basic form of the vehicle for its crashworthiness. Many car makers, like Honda and VW, have started making them mandatory, for those of us without sense enough to get the $700 option. The automakers have to pay extra to have the models with side airbags tested, to show that at least some of their models are safer.
Now if only automakers made bumpers that wouldn't vaporize into a $1500 repair bill upon contact with anything!!!!
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iQuack 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
All cars will soon have side curtain airbags standard--certainly with the introduction of all-new models.
All Honda Accords have them starting this year after they were available on high-end Accords in '03 and '04.
The all-new Hyundai Sonata will have them standard at introduction.
The Cobalt is an all-new design and should have side curtain airbags standard but they don't.
It's just typical of GM's glaringly thoughtless management: stupid, stupid, stupid!
I'm sure their marketing people have some nitwit excuse, but I just don't understand that brain-dead company.
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laserwizard 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
GM should be slammed for allowing two glaring deficiencies in the Cobalt lineup - one not corrected from the Saturn Ion from which the Cobalt is based.
First, the pathetic lack of interior room (particularly in the back seat where the room is non-existant for anyone with legs) is reason enough to avoid the Cobalt and to continue to rebuke its pathetic status as a NEW CAR. This is the glaring deficiency that it shares with the homely and pathetic Ion.
Second, GM should be fined for allowing the Cobalt to be a death trap just like the Cavalier in side impact tests. I know from experience that the Cavalier was a weak performer since a 30 mph crash in the side claimed the life of my belted in driver financee'. For the Cobalt to be such a poor performer is the best reason to never ever consider any GM car. How it is possible for GM to allow such a repugnant performer to exist on the roads today is inexcusable. For GM to spin the safety of the Cobalt as it has done the past several days is CRIMINAL.
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skaedenfeld 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
My '05 Subaru Outback XT has front, seat-mounted side and side-curtain airbags standard, as in all '05 Legacy and Outback models across the board, which contributed to it's perfect 5-star ratings.
I truly believe this kind of safety-oriented product development on the part of automakers, whether they are lobbied to do so, or they do so out of corporate ideology is a wonderful thing for the consumer. Clearly, the crash tests show the effectiveness of current airbag technology.
I think it's just amazing that automakers still offer seat-mounted side airbags and side-curtain airbags as options. To me, that says something about the manufacturer, which in this case just shows that, once again, GM is behind the times.
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paul 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
no, the issue here is the obvious bias against the american products.
the they are going to test and compare vehicles then they should test and compare like vehicles.
why test models with side bags against models without. why not compare my Yukon against the subaru. makes no sense. you guys can bitch and complain about american cars but nobody has yet answered my question.
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skaedenfeld 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
I think the idea, as posted above is that they test the lowest common denominator, which in the case of the Cobalt is devoid of extra airbags, which clearly shows the effectiveness of that technology in cars that have them, such as the Subaru that I was using as my example.
This, to me provides an interesting comparison, not only of the crash-worthiness of a particular car, but also the safety attitude of the manufacturer.
Personally, I wish they could test a base model, in such a case as when the base model is not offered with standard side and side-curtain airbags and then a higher model that does offer those airbags as an option. That way the consumer would see how effective this very affordable ($700 +/-) technology is. Unfortunately, that likely would never happen.
I am not bashing GM, or any other American company, specifically. I think that any company who does not offer these extra airbags standard on every model they make is behind the times.
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paul 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
and please tell me why it should not be an option. i would think that choice is always a good thing. or is it that people are too stupid to make the choice for themselves and must be told what to have in their car.
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Justin 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
Exactly. You want airbags, buy them. Nobody keeps you from ordering them. People don't like seatbelts that put themselves on for a reason. Some people don't wear it. I don't know that I trust airbag manufacturers still.
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mikes 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
Just for comparison: the scion tc (japanese make) was not tested with side air bags (according to the website) and it scored pretty well in sideimpact tests.
Also, a G6 (another GM car) was tested with SAB and did very well. However, SAB are not standard on the G6.
Thus, both arguments - bias towards Japanese makes and baseline testing - are invalid. The testing seems pretty random. I heard that car companies are responsible for providing the vehicle they wish to test. Why does GM provide a G6 with SAB and cobalt without one? Who knows?
If the institute determines which car to test, then they should establish criteria for testing instead of this randomness. Either test all cars with SAB if they are available or test all in their base configs.
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Rick Kappler 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
please read this Cobalt article
http://www.ai-online.com/issues/article_detail.asp?id=660
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K Smith 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
GM's comment on the test... (found at http://media.gm.com/servlet/GatewayServlet?target=http://image.emerald.gm.com/gmnews/viewmediastatedetail.do?domain=12&docid=15158 )
GM Statement on NHTSA Side Crash Test on Chevrolet Cobalt
Attributable to Alan Adler, Manager, Product Safety Communications
The 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt is designed to help provide comprehensive safety before, during and after a crash.
The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) side impact test conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is one of these performance measurements. The Cobalt performs well in a range of internal and third-party crash tests.
"We were surprised by this outcome," said Bob Lange, GM executive director of vehicle structure and safety integration. "We are trying to understand the variations between NHTSA's and our laboratories that led to this result."
The result contrasts an "Acceptable" rating the Cobalt received in side-impact testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety earlier this year. It was one of only two compact cars of 16 tested to receive the institute's second-highest rating. The IIHS conducted tests with and without optional side curtain airbags. The NCAP test was conducted without side airbags.
"We believe the overall structure of the Cobalt to be exceptionally good," Lange said. The Cobalt received the IIHS "Best Pick" designation following frontal offset barrier testing and received 4 stars for the driver and 5 stars for the passenger in the NCAP frontal crash tests.
The Cobalt also received four of five stars in the dynamic rollover test that NHTSA conducts.
CONTACT(S):
Alan Adler
586-947-4624
alan.adler@gm.com
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Rick Warren 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
If we are all so concerned about safety, why do we drive talking on the cell phone, after drinking, smoking, eating that Big Mac, doublesized fries (a proven killer)and continue over the speed limit?
I'm old enough to remember when safety didn't matter at all to consumers, now we are consumed with it.
While capping on GM, who was the first company to have all it's models with anti-lock brakes? GM. Who was the first company to have reinforced door beams back in the late 60's? GM.
I agree with one of the letters here. What's wrong with choice? That's for any or all of the supposed "safety items. I can stop a car in shorter distances without antilock, I'd rather not have air bags, thank you, for a variety of reasons, I don't want stablity enhancement.
Ever think how much all this "safety equipment" to protect us from ourselves has added to the car?
By the way having driven a Cobalt as a rental I can tell you this, it's a nicely built small car, and a Cavalier it is not.
Lets face it, safety is relative, get hit at the right angle, the right speed, you can be injured or die. Do you really think a nylon airbag will stop an SUV with it's bumper at window height, weighing nearly 3 times as much as a Cobalt, let you walk away uninjured?
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Donnie 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
Cobalt? what kind of name is that. Sounds like a lawnmowwer to me. They should of called it the cavalier. It looks like one. I think Chevy can't make anything right. They mess up any new product they put out. the Corvette is the only vehicle they have worth having. They are so behind everyone else. They have recall after recall.
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Thanks Donnie 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
Any additional comments on how the current-generation Camry scored only 2 out of 5 scores in a side-impact rating in it's first year debut?
Face it: every manufacturer has it's problems.
To Toyota's credit, the 2nd year of the current-generation, the car improved to it's current side-impact rating of 3 stars. Let's give GM a year to see it next year's models correct/improve the issue.
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Phydeaux 12:29AM (12/19/2005)
Post#18: "They are so behind everyone else. They [Chevrolet] have recall after recall."
The post fails to mention that Toyota has recall after recall also...
Forbes:
Toyota recalls record 1.27 mln cars in Japan
http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2005/10/18/afx2283230.html
USA Today:
Toyota vehicle recalls double in 2005
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2005-12-01-toyota-recalls_x.htm?csp=34
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