Smart USA responds to IIHS crash test results
IIHS crash tests – Click above for high-res image gallery
Needless to say, the folks over at Smart USA were not pleased to see the results of the latest batch of crash testing from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The IIHS did a series of frontal offset crash tests between small and mid-size cars, one of which included a smart ForTwo versus a Mercedes C300. While the results may have been what most people expected, they don't correlate with the ForTwo's results in standardized tests where the IIHS rates the smart as good in front and side impacts. The feds at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration give the smart 4 stars on frontal impact and 5 on side impact.
The problem, as Smart USA sees it, is that the IIHS devised a test that no automaker has designed to and that they claim only represents about one percent of real world accidents. Smart has even set up a site for customer testimonials about the crash safety performance of their ForTwo. Typically in the past, Smarts have actually done quite well in similar vehicle-on-vehicle tests, such as the ones conducted by Mercedes and Auto Motor und Sport after the jump.
The fundamental issue is that car structures are very complex and their response in a crash is highly dependent on the precise nature of the vehicle-to-vehicle interface. Because of standardized tests, cars are optimized to perform well in those, just as the powertrain is optimized to maximize results on the EPA mileage tests. It's not clear at this point how the IIHS methodology varies from what has been done in the past and why the results are so much worse. One thing that's clear: this story is far from over.
[Source: SmartUSA]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
JDMlover 10:58AM (4/14/2009)
wow......dont think i will be buying any small car anytime soon.....nor will my love ones
Reply
Rob 11:34AM (4/14/2009)
I hope you aren't buying them SUVs, because they are even more deadly. Poor braking, handling, and response= much harder to avoid an accident in the first place. Throw in weak roofs that collapse in a rollover, stiff frames that transmit shock into the passenger compartment, and you have one craptastic unsafe vehicle.
I feel much safer driving my excellent handling 89 Prelude than I do driving a 98 Suburban work vehicle.
Rick C. 12:55PM (4/14/2009)
Supersizing, whether it be Mcmansions or large suvs/trucks, is dead. We will see the disparity between the Smarts and Subrubans of the world start to disappear. The automotive landscape will return to one similar to the late 80's and early 90's, when vehicles were more similarly sized and weighted. The 'arms' race of I build a 4000 pounder and you build a 5000 pounder, and so on, is dead.
Ian 1:27PM (4/14/2009)
Cool. I come here for cars and get a history lesson for the day.
That's called proliferation. A futile game of one upmanship. Interesting to note the nuclear arms race between the US and Soviets ended in BOTH sides wanting a treaty to keep the other side from building bigger and bigger (and more) nukes. Sorry, this was the topic my older brother chose for his thesis. I heard nothing but this for the longest time.
neutralgear 2:45PM (4/14/2009)
sean, I don't know where you live, but motorcycles are on the freeway all the time here in LA, California. I used to live in New York and they were always on the turnpike and highways there as well.
They're pretty useful for getting through bumper to bumper traffic.
neutralgear 2:47PM (4/14/2009)
sorry replied to the wrong post
Len_A 9:07PM (4/14/2009)
@I3ziko - here in Detroit, I've seen exactly two on the freeways.
ASEVENSEE4 9:51PM (4/14/2009)
Rob
Then you should get a safer, more agile work SUV. Tiguan, CX-7, CX-9, Audi Q5, Anything from BMW, Ford EDGE(after 08 when they fixed the brakes), the list goes on. SUV's or CUV's for that matter don't mean unsafe it's all in the way that they're designed.
Avinash machado 11:03AM (4/14/2009)
They should do Smart vs Tahoe or Suburban crash test.
Reply
Taglane 11:05AM (4/14/2009)
It'd be hard to pick it out from the under-carriage.
Avinash machado 11:08AM (4/14/2009)
No wonder that not many people in America drive small cars, considering the amount of trucks and SUV's cruising the roads.
Jakesnake1294 11:17AM (4/14/2009)
I wanna see Smart vs Hummer H1. Or better yet, Smart vs Mack!!!
I3ziko 11:21AM (4/14/2009)
IIHS should crash test the accord or C-class with the semi truck.
there is always something bigger than you on the road...
caddy-v 11:30AM (4/14/2009)
I3, in a Smart everything on the highway is bigger.
I3ziko 11:34AM (4/14/2009)
@ caddy-v
not motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians…
Rob 11:35AM (4/14/2009)
Yeah we should all just buy super huge SUVs! Then when our neighbors get an even bigger SUV, we should sell ours and buy even BIGGER ones! And eventually we can all be driving Freightliners, "For the safety of our children".
SUVS ARE LAME.
Victor 12:06PM (4/14/2009)
@I3ziko-
pedestrians and bicycles are not allowed on most US freeways (there are rare exceptions where they are allowed)
I3ziko 12:54PM (4/14/2009)
@ Victor
and how many Smart cars have you seen on a US freeway/expressway? I have't seen one.
Ben 1:12PM (4/14/2009)
The real key problem is people who drive large SUVs or anything else larger than a car don't know how to drive them. They use car-like maneuvers and physics on larger vehicles that don't work. Owning and operating an SUV should be regulated differently.
Rich 1:41PM (4/14/2009)
...aaaaaand the winner is Ben. Because he put some thought into his post, rather than just gas and ignorance.