Ford Fusion t-boned by low IIHS side-impact rating
In its latest round of side-impact testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has dinged the 2006 Ford Fusion with its lowest score for models not equipped with side airbags. In head-on testing, the mid-sizer fared significantly better, netting an 'acceptable' rating (the second-best ranking), but IIHS president Adrian Lund discounted the performance noting that “Nearly every car now earns good ratings in our frontal test.”
A Ford Motor Company spokesman indicated that side airbags and curtain airbags will be standard-fit on 2007 Fusions built after September, and the Blue Oval has requested additional testing for an example so-equipped.
Among its latest crash-test subjects, the 2006 BMW 3-Series and Lexus IS were awarded top ratings in both frontal and side impacts, and Acura's TSX and the Infiniti G35 rated as 'acceptable' under the new side impact testing procedures.
[Source: The Associated Press via MSNBC]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
VW-Guy 8:08AM (3/06/2006)
It absolutely amazes me that a) a company doesn't make these features standard b) people won't spend a few hundred bucks +/- on this option when it isn't standard. What's your life worth? Or even if you're one of the superman types that won't get killed, what's a shoulder or your ribs worth? I've had more close calls with some idiot running an intersection than almost rear ending someone, side airbags are much more important IMHO.
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Alan 8:35AM (3/06/2006)
For all the company's supposed emphasis on safety, Ford's seemingly been slipping lately, or at least not improving as much as the others. Volvos are nowhere to be seen at the top of the side-impact ratings, and Ford doesn't even offer stability control in the aforementioned Fusion, on top of side airbags and ABS being optional. Hyundai makes all of these standard, as does VW. The Japanese manufacturers are also performing much better than before (look at the Lexus IS and Subaru Legacy).
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djsyndrome 9:23AM (3/06/2006)
I remember myself (and a few others) being roundly criticized here on Autoblog for daring to believe that Ford should include ABS and a full compliment of airbags as standard equipment (as the Accord, Jetta, Legacy and Camry do). Oh, the irony.
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Tom Design 9:49AM (3/06/2006)
I don't know where they, the testers, find these non-side airbag stripper models, but the MSN Auto shows all models of Fusion with Side Airbags standard? What's going on?
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Spec_Glance.aspx?year=2006&make=Ford&model=Fusion&trimid=-1
I remember when the Malibu first came out, they were an option, and it got marginal side impact reviews. Consumer Reports couldn't stop talking about how unsafe the car was. Then the next year, the side airbags/curtain are standard on Malibu, and Consumer reports has the same comment.
Just buy airbags people, it's simple. For some reason, certain marketing executives screw up in a company and offer them as options. These marketing/accounting guys should be forced to drive the cars without them, until they have a few accidents and realize what everyone with a brain knows: Airbags save lives.
Until 2005 they were optional on the Civic, still optional on base PT/Cruiser, 2006 Nissan Sentra, 2006 Mazda 3, Toyota Celica GT. It's a long list unfortunately.
Buy the airbags, people.
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Michael Karesh 11:00AM (3/06/2006)
It's one thing to blow these tests if the car was designed earlier. Every test has its own requirements, and manufacturers often improve their scores by designing to suit the tests.
But the Fusion was designed after side impact tests became prominent, so this failure is inexcusable. They're really messed up this one.
Correction to djsyndrome: side airbags are not standard on the 2006 Camry; maybe on the 2007.
As someone else noted, stability control is also not available on the Five Hundred or Fusion. Ford is behind the curve here. But these systems must be calibrated for every powertrain, so maybe they're just waiting until the 3.5 comes out in 2007. At least that had better be the reason.
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Source1 11:04AM (3/06/2006)
You can buy a sub $16k car, the Sonata, and receive top score for frontal impact and the second highest score for side impact, which is 'good' meaning there is a relatively low chance of being injured, and basically get a car as safe as anything on the road. I am sure that revisions will be made by Hyundai to ensure it receives a perfect mark for side impact next time. Keep in mind it rec'd 5 -Stars from NHSTA for front and side impact when tested by them.
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Peter 11:33AM (3/06/2006)
The G35's "Adequate" ranking in the side impact test is somewhat disturbing, especially given the "Poor" score in the pelvis/leg subcategory and the "Marginal" structural strength rating (note the amount of intrusion at the base of the B pillar). I would expect much more from a vehicle in the G35's price range.
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djSyndrome 11:52AM (3/06/2006)
"Correction to djsyndrome: side airbags are not standard on the 2006 Camry; maybe on the 2007."
I was referring to the 2007, but thank you for clearing this up. My mistake for not being clear :)
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kwc 1:44PM (3/06/2006)
Pretty much all of the mid-sized family sedans tested by IIHS scored "Poor" on the side impact test without the side-airbags (including the 03-04 Honda Accord). So the fact that the Fusion scored a "Poor" as well on the side impact test without the side airbags shouldn't be a shock (I am a firm believer that side airbags should be standard on EVERY car). What is disconcerting to me is the offset frontal collision. This car should do better than that and hopefully Ford will correct it.
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iQuack 2:31PM (3/06/2006)
Good show, Ford!
Just the kind of publicity you need now.
Months ago, I said that rather than mess with any crappy Ford derivative of the Mazda 6, just buy the Mazda instead--it's a better car that Ford hasn't ruined quite yet.
Edmunds' website shows head airbags standard on the Mazda 6. My question now is: why would anyone fuck with a silly damn Ford when the car on which it's based is better AND SAFER?
Fords have long been, still are, and will continue to be pure crap.
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Mark Weber 4:37PM (3/06/2006)
I can (sort of) live with Ford not making side curtain and side torso airbags standard. But I am appalled that at this late stage in the game, it gets the lowest rating for a car without side bags (in other words, there are cars without side bags that still manage to test better).
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Cory 5:08PM (3/06/2006)
#7 - Why single out the Infiniti? I frankly was more surprised at the Acura TSX, given that it's a newer platform and costs essentially the same money. Plus, at least the G35 is fun to drive.
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CH 5:28PM (3/06/2006)
RE: #11
The major issue is with the frontal crash results - almost shameful. Still, Ford needs only to improve protection for the right foot and leg.
All midsized cars tested without side/head airbags score "Poor" in the IIHS side-impact test. No surprise there, since the test is specifically designed to ensure said result. The fusion side-impact result is not the worst of cars tested w/o side airbags.
For example, the 2006 Camry would probably have failed the test even with side airbags because of indicated injuries to the rear passenger's torso. The optional airbags offer no additional rear torso protection.
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CH 7:55PM (3/06/2006)
#2
Oh, how we react to things to draw all kinds of conclusions!
Ford is something of a mixed bag with crash test scores. There is the Fusion, but then there is also the best-in-class Freestyle and the Gold-Award 500/Mercury Montego. The old Taurus had better scores than the 2005-2006 Avalon.
As for Volvo, its goal is safety in real-life crashes, not top scores in gov't/3-party tests. Detailed research of over 35,000 Volvo accidents since 1970 tells you infinitely more than a few simple crash tests.
Perhaps you missed it, but the IIHS has side-impact tested only two Volvos. Both scored just a tick below the top scores (check the details) and that's fine given the company's objective. Now, if they had scored poorly, that would be an entirely different matter.
By the way, the two top-scoring Fords are built on the Volvo S80 platform with much structural/safety engineering help from Volvo. (Looks like similar help was needed with the Fusion.) And no, the 8-year old S80 is not one of cars side-impact tested by the IIHS.
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George 8:27PM (3/06/2006)
The domestic bashing continues, as you look closer, the results are not out of line with the competition. Model for model across the board, Ford, Mercury and Lincoln cars score higher. The 500-Montego blew away all full sized cars in ALL price ranges. Check them out model for model and then post a comment.
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Brian W 8:44PM (3/06/2006)
#16 "I am sure that revisions will be made by Hyundai to ensure it receives a perfect mark for side impact next time. Keep in mind it rec'd 5 -Stars from NHSTA for front and side impact when tested by them."
They didn't care about the 8 years before.
Yet they didn't care about the seat belt design flaw that should have been recalled earlier. These tests are more about airbags or forcing makers to put them in.
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CH 9:22PM (3/06/2006)
#10
Side airbagss are optional on the base Mazda6, but standard on the rest.
The Mazda6 was tested by the IIHS w/o side airbags and the results at the detailed level are worse than the Fusion's. The results suggest that the Mazda with side airbags would still not pass the test because of "Poor" protection of the rear passenger's torso. Side airbags would not increase that protection.
The Fusion with side airbags stands a reasonable chance of passing the test, because all its deficiencies would be addressed at some level by the addition of the bags. Ford also beefed up the structure to give it an "Acceptable" rating versus the Mazda's "Marginal".
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=295
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=621
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Glenn Laycock 12:28AM (3/07/2006)
Maybe I'm imagining it ... but why do those testers always test the Japanese cars WITH the OPTIONAL side curtain bags (Accord and Camry) and they seem to never test the Domestic vehicles with the side curtain bags. It makes a huge difference.
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Alan 9:10AM (3/07/2006)
The reason the cars are tested with optional airbags is that the manufacturer reimburses IIHS for the car. IIHS' policy is to buy the lowest end car, without any optional safety equipment. Hence they tested the Jetta VE and base Subaru Legacy (Silver and Gold winners, BTW). If the manufacturer pays for it, they will test the car with side airbags. Honda did, Ford didn't, at least not yet. It's right on their website.
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Ford Fusion Lover 12:48AM (4/12/2006)
Wow, this is rather surprising. Or perhaps disappointing is a better word. Wasn't the ford fusion touted as a very "safe family vehicle" when it was first introduced?
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