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Poor impact rating. Dodge Neon
Side impact crash test (Illustration)

Popular cars fail crash tests

Several car models similar to those sold in Israel rated poorly in side impact crash tests conducted in U.S.

Think your car is safe because it has dual airbags? Think again: Some of the most popular cars in the country rated poor for side impact protection in a series of crash tests.

 

The tests, which were conducted by The Insurance Institute for Highway (IIHS) Safety in the U.S., simulated accidents in which normal-sized passenger cars containing frontal airbags were hit by a moving deformable barrier from the side at 50 kilometers per hour (31 mph).

 

The barrier weighs 1,500 kilos (3,300 pounds) and has a front end that is shaped to simulate the front end of a typical pickup or SUV. In each side-struck vehicle are two instrumented dummies the size of a small (5th percentile) woman, one positioned in the driver seat and one in the rear seat behind the driver.

 

List of cars (or similar car models) sold in Israel that earned a “poor” rating:

 

  1. Dodge Neon (similar to model sold in Israel as Chrysler Neon) - without side airbags.
  2. Suzuki Forenza (similar to model sold in Israel as Chevrolet Optra) - with side airbags.
  3. Hyundai Elantra (similar to model sold in Israel) - with side airbags.
  4. Suzuki Aerio (similar to model sold in Israel as Liana) - with side airbags.
  5. Volkswagen New Beetle (similar to model sold in Israel) - with side airbags.
  6. Mazda 3, (similar to model sold in Israel) - without side airbags.

 

As to the performance of the Dodge Neon, which received the lowest rating, IIHS chief operating officer Adrian Lund said the Neon has "major problems, beginning with its structure.

 

"This car is a disaster. The structure is poor, and both dummies' heads were hit by the barrier during the crash test," he said. “High forces were recorded on the head, torso, and pelvis of the driver dummy. If this had been a real driver in a real crash, it's likely it wouldn't have been survivable."

 

Conclusion: Compact cars sold in Israel that contain two airbags, are definitely not as safe as those containing at least four airbags.

 

- Udi Etzion also contributed to this article

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.09.05, 00:55
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