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IIHS subjects midsizers to tough new impact test, finds fault with Toyota, VW [w/video]

Chris Paukert — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Videos, Toyota, Volkswagen

Crash tests continue to get ever tougher, and the new "small overlap" test from the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety is giving engineers fits. The new procedure, launched in August, subjects just 25 percent of a vehicle's front end to an impact at 40 miles per hour, and it's proven to be a lot tougher to ace than the institute's old 40-percent overlap test, which is also still in use. The test is designed to simulate impact with a pole, tree or an offset other vehicle - all common crash scenarios.

In its initial round of tests, the IIHS found just three of 11 midsize luxury and near-premium cars up to the job of earning acceptable or good ratings. In this latest go around, the IIHS subjected 18 midsize family sedans to the test, with two earning good ratings, 11 earning acceptable scores, three netting marginal and two suffering poor marks. Of those tested, the Honda Accord and Suzuki Kizashi earned top marks.

Interestingly enough, the IIHS has gone out of its way to highlight the poor performances by the Toyota automobiles it tested. The Camry and Prius V were both called out for poor performances in the small overlap, deeming them "the worst performers of the midsize group." This, despite the fact that both models were new for 2012. Interestingly, both vehicles previously earned Top Safety Pick status, showing just how tough the new small overlap test really is.

IIHS also called out the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta for a poor performance, noting that its driver airbag module actually detached from the steering column during the crash test. The IIHS notes that the detachment occurred "relatively late in the crash and didn't affect the dummy's movement," but it still marked down the Volkswagen as a result.

For a complete list of the vehicles tested and their scores, see the official press release and a video of the test below.

Continue reading IIHS subjects midsizers to tough new impact test, finds fault with Toyota, VW [w/video]

IIHS subjects midsizers to tough new impact test, finds fault with Toyota, VW [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Dec 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW Jetta ad suggests keyless entry is not always convenient

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 19:24:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Volkswagen

"My dog ate my homework." That excuse might not have worked in grade school, and as Volkswagen proves in its latest ad for the Jetta sedan, telling your boss "my dog ate my keys" is no excuse for being late to work, either.

In this clever new 30-second commercial, a frantic Jetta owner struggles to find his keys before realizing that man's best friend has, in fact, digested them. No problem, though - with keyless entry, the fob only needs to be within a certain proximity of the vehicle to do everything from locking and unlocking the doors to rolling up the windows and closing the sunroof. It's a clever ad (bonus points for the Johnny Cash "Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog" soundtrack), and all we can say is, let's hope that fob can withstand a good washing after it, um, presents itself again.

Scroll down to see the VW spot in its entirety.

Continue reading VW Jetta ad suggests keyless entry is not always convenient

VW Jetta ad suggests keyless entry is not always convenient originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 VW Jetta to drop five-cylinder in favor of turbo four

Jeff Sabatini — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 18:14:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Technology, Volkswagen, Rumormill

Rainer Michel, Vice President of Product Marketing & Strategy at Volkswagen of America, stopped by the AOL offices today for a chat about what VW has on tap for the 2013 model year. While much of what he had to say was either minor reshuffling of features or stuff we already knew - like the 45-mpg, hybrid version of the Jetta launching late this year - there were a few interesting tidbits.

First was the addition of a launch control feature to the 2013 Jetta GLI. Standard on GLI models with the DSG transmission, it allows for "a perfect launch with controlled wheelspin," according to VW's press release. While we're all about wheelspin, controlled or otherwise, Michel's real news wasn't about the 2013 Jetta, but the promise of an overhaul to the 2014 Jetta powertrain, steering and suspension.

VW will be dropping the 2.5-liter five-cylinder in favor of a 1.8-liter turbocharged, direct injected four, as was rumored. This is the same 1.8 TSI engine with 158 horsepower and 185 pound feet of torque found in the European Passat and CC. For those who are wondering whether it has any relationship to the 1.8T engine found in the VW GTI a few years back, the answer is a definitive "no." The new Jetta base engine will be built at VW's Mexican engine facility in Silao, with the switch to the turbo four made as much for the expected improvement in fuel economy as it was for production efficiency, as the naturally aspirated five-cylinder is not long for this world.

While VW didn't say how much of an improvement in fuel economy it expects from the 2014 Jetta, the new engine will offer potential efficiencies on a number of fronts. Not only is the engine lighter, according to Michel, but it will also herald the adoption of electric power steering. Perhaps more exciting for enthusiasts is that Michel promised that the move to EPAS and changes in the suspension tuning necessitated by the overhaul will allow VW to tune the base car to be a bit sportier than the current model.

Scroll down to read VW's full press release on the 2013 model year changes.

Continue reading 2014 VW Jetta to drop five-cylinder in favor of turbo four

2014 VW Jetta to drop five-cylinder in favor of turbo four originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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