Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[New Ford Ranger becomes first pickup to earn Five-Star Euro NCAP rating]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/26/new-ford-ranger-becomes-first-pickup-to-earn-five-star-euro-ncap/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/26/new-ford-ranger-becomes-first-pickup-to-earn-five-star-euro-ncap/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/26/new-ford-ranger-becomes-first-pickup-to-earn-five-star-euro-ncap/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2012 Ford Ranger crash test

Add another reason to lament the fact that the all-new Ford Ranger will not be sold in the United States: It's safe.

Ford says that en route to earning the maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating, the 2012 Ranger earned the best score ever awarded to a pickup truck and the best Euro NCAP rating of any vehicle ever tested for pedestrian protection. Ford will be equipping European Rangers with standard side curtain airbags, side thorax airbags and knee airbags, in addition to its front airbags.

The safety scores for the new model are a big win for Ford. Its 2011 Ranger pickup sold here in the U.S. took a big hit when subjected to revised safety tests implemented this year by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Both 2011 Ranger models tested received only two-star overall ratings from NHTSA. Domestic Ford Ranger production is scheduled to end in December, with no scheduled replacement.

Watch the entire crash test video after the jump.

Continue reading New Ford Ranger becomes first pickup to earn Five-Star Euro NCAP rating

New Ford Ranger becomes first pickup to earn Five-Star Euro NCAP rating originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 ford rangercrash testeuro ncapfordncaprangersafetyWed, 26 Oct 2011 19:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20091021/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/26/new-ford-ranger-becomes-first-pickup-to-earn-five-star-euro-ncap/20091021/article-detail.xml 20091021 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/2012-ford-ranger-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/2012-ford-ranger-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan Leaf earns five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/02/nissan-leaf-earns-5-star-rating-in-euro-ncap-crash-tests-w-vide/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/02/nissan-leaf-earns-5-star-rating-in-euro-ncap-crash-tests-w-vide/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/02/nissan-leaf-earns-5-star-rating-in-euro-ncap-crash-tests-w-vide/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Nissan Leaf Euro NCAP crash test
Nissan Leaf Euro NCAP crash test - Click above to watch video after the jump

The five-door mid-size electric Nissan Leaf has become the first plug-in vehicle to receive five stars from the European New Car Assessment Program. Euro NCAP tests vehicles in frontal impact, side impact, side pole impact and the potential for whiplash.

The Leaf's lithium-ion battery pack, which is positioned below the rear-seat compartment, suffered no damage during any of the tests. The five-seat Leaf received an 89 percent rating for adult occupant safety, 84 percent for its on-board safety-assist systems, 65 percent in pedestrian safety and 83 percent for child occupant safety.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conducted its first mainstream plug-in vehicle crash tests in April of 2011, and both the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and the 2011 Nissan Leaf were named "Good" for their front, side, rear, and rollover crash protection and both received the IIHS' Top Safety Pick title.

Hit the jump to watch video of the Nissan Leaf getting smashed, crashed and bashed by NCAP. Click here (pdf) for a detailed look at the Leaf's NCAP test results.

Continue reading Nissan Leaf earns five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests [w/video]

Nissan Leaf earns five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crash testelectric vehicleeuro ncapleafleaf crash testleaf euro ncapncapnissan leafnissan leaf crash testThu, 02 Jun 2011 13:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19955911/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/06/02/nissan-leaf-earns-5-star-rating-in-euro-ncap-crash-tests-w-vide/19955911/article-detail.xml 19955911 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/leaf-ncap_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/leaf-ncap.jpg <![CDATA[VIDEO: Kia Soul aces Euro NCAP crash tests]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/30/video-kia-soul-aces-euro-ncap-crash-tests/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/30/video-kia-soul-aces-euro-ncap-crash-tests/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/30/video-kia-soul-aces-euro-ncap-crash-tests/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click above to watch the Kia Soul's Euro NCAP crash tests

There is no rating yet for the Kia Soul in the U.S., but in Europe the car did the business: the Soul scored five stars on the NCAP frontal offset, side impact and pole crash tests, doing no worse than "marginal" in just two areas. In the frontal offset test the windshield doesn't crack and there is only minor cosmetic damage aft of the front door's front shut line. It's a big result for a little car, and if it has the reliability to match it should do very, very well. Thanks for the tip, GenGT!


Gallery: Kia Soul Euro NCAP Test



[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Kia Soul aces Euro NCAP crash tests

VIDEO: Kia Soul aces Euro NCAP crash tests originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 30 May 2009 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crashcrash testCrashTesteuroeuro ncapEuroNcapeuropehatchbackkiakia soulKiaSoulncapratingratingssafetysoulvideoSat, 30 May 2009 17:04:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19051793/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/05/30/video-kia-soul-aces-euro-ncap-crash-tests/19051793/article-detail.xml 19051793 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/euro_ncap_soul_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/euro_ncap_soul.jpg <![CDATA[Tiny Toyota iQ registers 5 Star NCAP performance]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/tiny-toyota-iq-registers-5-star-ncap-performance/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/tiny-toyota-iq-registers-5-star-ncap-performance/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/19/tiny-toyota-iq-registers-5-star-ncap-performance/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above for high-res gallery of the Toyota iQ's NCAP test

We still wouldn't want to crack the tiny Toyota iQ into anything, but the little rollerskate has earned itself 5 stars in Euro NCAP safety testing. It's not a perfect correlation to hitting real objects, but the performance will undoubtedly help make a sales case. Results for the iQ are nearly as good as its larger sibling, the Avensis. The iQ will bust up your neck with whiplash, and the pole test also showed marginal chest protection, deflecting the ribs quite a bit.

The iQ's small size also leads to a C- for rear seat protection, and there's upgrades and revisions for the ISOFIX anchors and Britax seats to keep bambinos and bambinas secure. Despite any caveats, however, the iQ's rating trumps the four stars for Ford's new Ka, which will undoubtedly be strategically mentioned. We'd still drive anything in this segment with a modicum of care and heightened awareness. It's much safer, no matter what you drive, to avoid incidents all together.

Gallery: Toyota iQ Euro NCAP tests


[Source: EuroNCAP via GreenMotor]

Tiny Toyota iQ registers 5 Star NCAP performance originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click above to view video of the 2008 Smart fortwo crash test

Anybody who watches Autoline on Detroit or reads our Autoline on Autoblog posts will know that John McElroy is a certifiably nice guy. Bob Lutz is known more as a brash talker who isn't afraid to make his views known, regardless of what others may think. Both of them, though, are very closely attuned to the auto industry. The head product-honcho at GM and our very own Mr. Nice Guy share the opinion that the Feds should suspend their ever-increasing crash-testing standards for a few years. If a car is safe enough for our European relatives, it should be safe enough for us, right? In reality, this is not the case, as the U.S. standards differ enough from those across the pond that a car sometimes needs to be designed specifically to pass one or the other. For this reason, the Chevy Beat won't be sold on U.S. soil.

To complete the deal, McElroy also suggests doing the same for environmental standards. As with crash tests, though both the U.S. and the European regulations are strict, they don't quite match. Therefore, many cars -- especially those equipped with diesel engines -- can't be sold in the States despite being available in Europe. Lutz doesn't specifically touch on this point, but we'd hazard a guess that he'd go along with it as well.

[Source: Wards Auto]

Lutz agrees with McElroy, calls for moratorium on U.S. crash test standards originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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