Mazda CX-7 receives highest crash test rating from NHTSA
The CX-7 is Mazda's new zoom-zoom CUV with the supposed soul of a sports car thanks to its taut handling and a powerful yet fuel efficient 244-hp, 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. After crashing the CX-7 into a fixed barrier at 35 mph and ramming it on the side with another barrier going 38.5 mph, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is giving the CUV a five-star rating for both frontal and side-impact crash tests. This means the NHTSA estimates that there's a 10 percent or less chance a front seat occupant will be injured in a head on crash at or below 35 mph and a 5 percent or less chance occupants will be injured in a side-impact crash.Thanks tintin for the tiptip!
[Source: Safecar.gov via CanadianDriver]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tri-Bob 4:16PM (8/22/2006)
See, maybe those CX-7's on the Cougar Ace will be alright.
Reply
James Fabin 4:35PM (8/22/2006)
Here is a link to a video with footage of the damage to the CX7's inside the Cougar Ace. It's pretty cool looking.
http://www.cartv.com/content/research/channels/index.cfm/channel/cartv_video/action/showvideo/vid/n_0146/vcat/News/
James
Reply
Swat Lax 4:48PM (8/22/2006)
This could bode well for the Ford Edge.
How long until Ford figures out that making the safest cars, and selling them on that point, is the way to go. Figure out how to do one thing, do it better than everyone else, and sell on that fact. That would be a bold move.
Reply
kansei 4:56PM (8/22/2006)
good job mazda.
In a slightly related sidenote I drove a CX-7 over the weekend on an autocross course at mazda zoom zoom live (free event). It handling was so far above and beyond what I thought it would be, absolutely amazing. I didn't fear flipping at any point :P
Thing is an absolute dog in 1st gear below 3.5k RPMs though. It needs like a 6spd auto or something.
Reply
kansei 4:57PM (8/22/2006)
#3 - the CX-7 is a total Mazda design, not the same as the ford edge.
Oh and Ford does do that whole safety thing... by buying Volvo :D
Reply
Tri-Bob 5:01PM (8/22/2006)
Swat Lax,
Wasn't the Windstar Minivan the safest car? Aren't Volvos supposedly the "world's safest automobiles?" That ploy doesn't seem to be working for Ford.
Reply
Swat Lax 5:27PM (8/22/2006)
Because not all of the cars fit the mold:
Brand Spankin' New Fusion/Milan/Zepher: 4 stars across the board
http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2006/ford/fusion/safety/index.html
Old School Focus: 4 and 3 stars
http://www.automotive.com/2005/12/ford/focus/safety/index.html
Oh, and once you fix those problems, what you need to do is sell me on that. Right now, Ford is trying to sell buying its cars as a Bold Move, but unless you're buying a Mustang GT, the move is only bold because you're not doing what everyone else is: buying a Toyota or Honda.
Look at what VW's ad agency is doing with those Jetta safety ads. That's a bold move.
Ford needs to give customer's something to remember them by. The cars can have compromises on other things, but one area of the car needs to be nailed down as great, at least in the customer's mind if not on paper.
As much as a BMW owner might hate their iDrive, they can take comfort in having "The Ultimate Driving Machine." Camry owners might have the car everyone else has, but they'll take comfort in having Consumer Report's most reliable car on the road.
The new Fusion is much improved over the old Taurus, but what does it offer that no one else does? Even if it's not true, you've gotta find something, otherwise it will get lost in the heap.
(P.S. I think Ford needs to make that 'Fairlane' thing fast, and make it the minivan that doesn't look like a minivan. Non-sliding doors would be a compromise with the current design, but if you can make a minivan without estrogen oozing from its body gaps, that will be something you can sell. Oh yeah, and make it safer than what anyone else makes.)
Reply
Tommy 5:38PM (8/22/2006)
Hondas are the world's safest cars (pound for pound).
Reply
Swat Lax 5:55PM (8/22/2006)
But Honda hasn't claimed that spot in marketing.
Yes, Volvo has claimed 'King of the Hill' for safety, but Ford could still stake its claim on that position in the mass market.
Look, it doesn't have to be safety that Bill Ford stakes the family legacy too, but their has to be something. Right now, Ford isn't known for doing any one thing right, and that's because their products are all over the place. How does a Focus get someone to 'step-up' to a Fusion? Why would anyone go from a Fusion to a Five-Hundred?
Reply
Jim 6:23PM (8/22/2006)
This shows that the best engineering in the world comes from American brains and Japanese brains melding their brains together, work together, and become one super-Americo-Japano-brainamatron.
Americans alone are stupid.
Japanese alone are stupid.
Together we make a better world.
I propose an exchange program where all Japanese men must marry American wives, and the same number of American men must marry Japanese wives.
Then we can create a genetic hybrid population that is far more superior at car engineering than anything we've ever witnessed on this Earth.
Reply
RT 9:52PM (8/22/2006)
The 07 Honda Civic 2 door only gets 3 stars for side impact
The 07 Honda Civic 4 door only gets 4 stars for side impact
The 07 Honda Accord only get 4 Stars for side impact.
Reply
Juston 11:51PM (8/22/2006)
The safer the better. If this car save just one life Mazda has done an excellent job!!
Reply
Todd 9:09AM (8/23/2006)
Lets hear it for Ford/Mazda safety! THis will be the hall mark or "Saving" grace for Ford to start CONSISTENTLY pushing safety as a value you can expect from Ford. SOme may think that may take a lot of hutzbah since the Pinto blow ups, the Bronco rollovers, or the the Explorer/Bridgestone tire enduced crashes. But lets heare it form their efforts. Lets hope they start sounding more swedish and the cars start to look more like IKEA products that fit together nicely into smaller (european) sized rooms.
Reply
borgie 12:14PM (8/23/2006)
Is it me or is Mazda is the best thing Ford has going? Volvo's aint what is used to be and no rich folk in their right mind would buy a Jag nowdays. But Mazda seemed to be winning awards left and right. Maybe Ford should just let the Mazda team run things.
Reply
Rob 12:43PM (8/23/2006)
RT,
There ain't one company out there that has all 5 stars for every single one of their cars. So you can pick and choose all you want...
but Honda has more 5 star front and side-impact rated models than any other automaker (according to NHTSA).
Reply
Lou Arpino 9:48PM (9/10/2006)
If Mazda management would be put in charge of Ford Motor Company I bet Ford's image and performance would dramatically improve in no time!
Reply