IIHS wrecks new Scion xD. Rates average, good
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) did its worst to the new Scion xD, and after performing both the frontal offset test and a side impact test with the standard front and rear head curtain airbags and front seat torso airbags, the xD came away with ratings from "good" to "average."
On the frontal offset crash, the IIHS found that the dummy's movement was well controlled, although the rebound caused its head to strike the roof rail. The possibility of injury to the neck and chest garnered an "average" rating, while the safety cage, foot protection and restraint system were all rated as "good."The side impact test rated the Scion xD as "good" all around, save an "average" rating for the structure/safety cage portion. Although there's no IIHS data for the Scion xA – the model the xD replaced – NHTSA gave the old model four out of five stars.
[Source: IIHS]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
dskinner 4:35PM (11/13/2007)
That's good to hear since I have three family members, between mine and wife's families (all red) driving around in these things. I like them a lot, much better than the other small cars out there (Yaris, Fit, Versa, etc) in my opinion.
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VP 4:54PM (11/13/2007)
Continuing with the theme going on today....This must be Autoblog's fault that Scion did not get five stars for their cars right?
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Corey W. 4:58PM (11/13/2007)
uh.... is average suppose to be good?!?
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Xcountryflyer 5:07PM (11/13/2007)
It's not a shameful and disastrous result along the lines of that Brilliance crash test, but I think it is disappointing for a brand new design from Toyota. Getting good ratings in the crash tests seems to be designed in from the very start nowadays. It seems to me one more example of lax Toyota attention to detail.
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A&W 5:37PM (11/13/2007)
I think the leading auto makers should be shooting higher in areas of safety. My prediction. Just like the Japenese overcame the domestic brands by continually improving qaulity, the Chinese will make a name for themselves by continually improving safety. Of course this may take decades but if the big three would have paid attention to what the Japenese auto makers were doing in the 70's they would not be in the shape they are in now.
Killenmedpirogen 5:11PM (11/13/2007)
The eyes of fear......monkey eyes!
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Random Task 5:55PM (11/13/2007)
That's not a very exciting result. How do other small cars do?
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MoonRover 6:20PM (11/13/2007)
In toyota's rush to be no.1 their safty is suffering, they are more concerned with beating General Motors for no.1 than making safe quality cars. Their designs and quality are second rate, and now with too few engineers, their quality is seemingly suspect with the Trundra and now the Scion xD. Say hello on your way down Toyota, Oh! what a feeling.
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MKIV 6:23PM (11/13/2007)
That is a comment of an ignorant who has no clue about what they are talking about.
Toyota never tried to be #1.
Many high placed Toyota executives have mentioned this time and time again.
MoonRover 6:29PM (11/13/2007)
I certainly hope you are being tongue in cheek with that comment, if not, and you actually believe Toyota does not want to be no.1, don't go crossing any busy streets alone.
Bob-omb 6:39PM (11/13/2007)
Of course Toyota WANTS to be number 1. EVERYONE DOES. What does a statement like that even prove? What company sets out to be number 2?
This crash result isn't as good as the Yaris, for some reason, but it's still better than the Aveo, since you happened to bring up GM.
PJ 7:09PM (11/13/2007)
"Good" is the highest of four possible rating in the IIHS tests. "Acceptable" (not "average") is second-best.
Scoring "Acceptable" in the frontal-offset test and "Good" for side impacts is typical among the compacts and subcompacts they've tested. A Chevy Cobalt gets the same scores, albeit in reverse order.
This blog is developing an odd relationship with Toyota. Despite all the comments trashing their products, these "beginning of the end" comments pop up whenever Toyota's products are rated anything less than best-in-class, as if the silent understanding is that they usually are.
Toyota's just another brand, folks.
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Reality Check 8:20PM (11/13/2007)
I saw one of these hit by a Tahoe and I couldn't tell what it was untill I saw the emblem. So rate them how ever you want, the weight of the other car makes a bigger differance. By the way the Tahoe looked like it could have driven home..................
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Sean 11:32PM (11/13/2007)
Of course, the Tahoe costs 3x as much and eats 2x the fuel to get from point a to point b.
I'd say that as long as the xD passengers were safe, then its ok that the car was disposable... I'd sure hate to be stuck in an upside down, damaged gas guzzler vs. driving my new insurance provided car.
Hey, if you're gonna have a wreck, make sure you don't keep the wrecked car...
:D
more money than. 7:36AM (11/14/2007)
I saw a tahoe rear ended by a semi, everyone died in the tahoe. Your point is?
slider912 9:07AM (11/14/2007)
It's disappointing that the xD earned the "Acceptable" rating (not Average.. does AB read stuff before they repost?), but the side impact score of "Good" is fairly impressive for such a small vehicle... and the side impact test result, unlike the frontal one, CAN be compared across weight and size classes.
So you're better off in this xD or Civic, for example, than in a $50,000 BMW 5series or Jeep Grand Cheerokee (both only "Marginal' in side impact). Interesting.
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Reality Check 12:32AM (11/14/2007)
I don't think the people inside were ok and the real problem is that untill we can get cars on a relativly equal playing field we will have problems like these.. It won't make a differance weather the car is from here or imported.
iQuack 12:44AM (11/14/2007)
All else equal, the only way to make a small, lightweight car as safe as a larger and heavier car is to repeal the laws of physics.
Car makers should make their cars as safe and protective as possible and car buyers should buy the largest and heaviest car that makes sense for them.
I don't need anything more than a small car, but drive a mid-sized sedan because it's safer.
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RealityCheck 12:19PM (11/14/2007)
My point is that everything on the road looks like a semi to those cars.... and there are alot less semi's on the road then even just Tahos..... Would you put your Daughter in that car.
BrokenCaddillac...Again 7:53AM (11/14/2007)
At least it's not a deathtrap like the Aveo. Still wouldn't drive anything that small.
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