Two all-electric cars miss the mark for IIHS safety awards - News IIHS
Small cars give mixed results in crash tests, but the improvement of the whole.
Honda posts highest score in new test before the accident by the insurance group.
Ford Focus, Dodge Dart marginal in the test, but that match Civic for global security.
Chevrolet Cruze, lag Volkswagen Beetle, but still considered safe vehicles.
Automakers turn on small cars to meet consumer, government requirements for fuel economy.
Small cars on the U S market are gaining ground among consumers, but some new models have more to do to catch the Honda Civic, designated by a security group as respected industry leader.
Both 2013 and four-door Civics a good performance - the best score - in a new type of crash test lasts until earlier this year to earn the highest award of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety .
Four other cars, including the Dodge Dart, Chrysler and Ford Focus, more recently acceptable rating in the IIHS test even but that was good enough to earn their high general status and organization, although the Civic did better .
But three models, including the Chevrolet Cruze from General Motors and the Volkswagen Beetle, posted marginal results and below the noblest rating for overall safety, which also takes into account other results IIHS front, side, rolling and rear crash tests.
Nissan Sentra and two other vehicles manufactured by Kia in fact poor test.
With half of the 12 eligible models tested in the best performance IIHS - called Top Safety Pick Plus - consumers have more choices subjected to selection at safety weighing, the group said.
Car manufacturers are trying to meet the demand of the government and consumers for better fuel efficiency have in recent years, jumping began production of small cars.
Buyers have responded positively, especially in the U S manufacturers, who for years relied on sales of gourmet SUV fuel and microphones.
Automakers models designed to perform better in the front thereof and other tough crash tests, but some still need to address the concerns.
Manufacturers must focus on the whole package, said David Zuby, chief research officer of the Insurance Institute This means a strong interior that resists intrusion types we see in a frontal collision like this -Cl, safety belts which prevent pitching conductor too far forward and side curtain airbags for cushioning a head may strike the frame of the instrument panel or window.
The last force measured on the test vehicle of the institute and occupant protection when only a quarter of the front of a car hitting a tree, pole or another vehicle at 40 mph.
The collision occurs outside of the vehicle structure areas designed to manage energy accidents This increases the risk of serious damage to the car and injuries to the driver and passengers, the insurance group said the test is also important for testing safety belts and airbags and measuring how drawings vehicle and prevent injuries to the feet and legs, according to the IIHS.
The two and four redesigned Honda Civic doors showed good or better grades in the so-called overlap crash test before which equaled the performance of some larger cars, making it the most impressive result for Honda.
The Dart, Focus, Hyundai Elantra - new this year - and Toyota Scion tC2014 all ratings posted acceptable.
2013 Cruze, Chevy Sonic Beetle and slightly marked, while the Sentra, the Kia Soul and Forte are 2014 get bad grades.
Small cars with marginal notes or poor had some of the same problems of the structural system and restrictions than other models we Vee tested Zuby said in the worst case, security cages collapsed, airbags driver displaced laterally with unstable steering columns and head of the test dummy hit the dashboard side curtain airbags deploy or didn t didn t provide sufficient coverage before a difference All this adds to the marginal or poor protection in a small overlap crash.
Automakers take special note of the IIHS tests because the group is supported by the insurance industry.
The federal government conducts separate crash tests and displays its own security levels, it does not work the overlap test, however.
IIHS said the models with marginal or poor scores in the last test are regular recipients of second best score of the group for global security - Top Safety Pick.
Kia said in a statement it would evaluate carefully the IIHS tests, but noted that all cars sold in the US meet or exceed federal safety standards.
Maximize occupant protection is complex and involves a wide range of variables, and Kia is proud of its strong record of safety and integrity of its products, the statement said, noting that the IIHS test goes well beyond the requirements of government.
Nissan also said it would review the results of the last test that we look for opportunities for improvement.
Volkswagen said in a statement it is passionately committed to building the safest vehicles to the public and has already begun to integrate this knowledge in the latest design and engineering of our cars in the future.
GM also noted variables specific to each vehicle that are needed to perform well in safety tests.
We are actively working to integrate them into our models - including our small cars like the Chevrolet Cruze and Sonic - where technically possible, GM said in a statement.
IIHS plans to launch the next minibuses on overlap test.
Small cars give mixed results in crash tests, but improving all the small cars, performance.