IIHS Tests Subcompacts Against Midsize Sedans and the Results Are Not Great [2009]

**number001** · April 16th, 2009 12:04 AM

IIHS Tests Subcompacts Against Midsize Sedans and the Results Are Not Great

Toyota Camry vs. Toyota Vios

Honda Accord vs. Honda Jazz

MB C-Class vs. Smart Fortwo

Videos

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK0q4r3vGmI&feature=related"]YouTube - 2006-2011 Toyota Camry/Daihatsu Altis Vs. 2005-2011 Toyota Yaris/Vitz/Belts IIHS Offset[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfY3VvDsQxg&feature=related"]YouTube - 2008-2011 Honda Accord Vs. 2008-2011 Honda Fit/Jazz IIHS Offset[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg64wMtl2gQ"]YouTube - 2007-2011 Mercedes-Benz C320 (W204) Vs. 2008-2011 Smart ForTwo IIHS Offset[/ame]

The IIHS has released the crash test results involving three subcompact/ minicars into a midsize sedan from the same automaker and the results are not pretty.

Normally crash test results involve a vehicle crashing into a deformable barrier, which most of the time is not accurate in the real world. Most crashes involve two vehicles crashing into each other. In these three tests the IIHS chose pairs of vehicles from Daimler, Honda and Toyota due to their subcompact models earning good frontal crashworthiness ratings. The Honda Fit, Smart Fortwo and Toyota Yaris all earned good ratings in the Institute's offset test into a deformable barrier, but all three performed poorly in the frontal collisions with midsize cars.

"Though much safer than they were a few years ago, minicars as a group do a comparatively poor job of protecting people in crashes, simply because they're smaller and lighter," Lund says. "In collisions with bigger vehicles, the forces acting on the smaller ones are higher, and there's less distance from the front of a small car to the occupant compartment to 'ride down' the impact. These and other factors increase injury likelihood."

Source

**Taurus** · April 16th, 2009 09:57 AM

AMF, eh Vios and Jazz ang very common cars around here. So a crash test against a deformable barrier may not be a good reference of its safety since a crash against another vehicle is more common.

**niky** · April 16th, 2009 04:21 PM

Not really.

Head-to-head crashes aren't as common as barrier or pole crashes here... and the occassional rear-ending by a truck.

-

Neat that the IIHS has tested a 3-star SMART against a 5-star Mercedes C-Class and concluded that the 5-star car is safer... duh!

The Yaris is a mere 4-star car... the Camry a 5. The Fit is now 5-star, though... but it's going against a 5-star Accord.

And of course, they don't show pictures of the big cars after the test.

It would have been more interesting to test the 5-star Fit against one of those ladder-frame pickups (like the Chevrolet Colorado (Isuzu D-Max)) that earn lower marks on crash tests...

**Horsepower** · April 16th, 2009 05:33 PM

hmmm. is this a joke? hehehe.

We all know a gazelle has no defense against a tiger. Or a mouse against a cat.

**afterglow** · April 16th, 2009 06:40 PM

The critics of this test are saying that what the IIHS is implying is that everyone should be driving 18-wheelers since that's the safest vehicle around....

**number001** · October 3rd, 2009 10:56 PM

I see that the videoes above have been removed, so here are alternative ones...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHiYSAenanM&feature=channel_page"]YouTube - Toyota Camry vs Toyota Yaris - Crash test compatibilitÃ* IIHS, Sicurauto.it[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjEUvreNE5Q&feature=channel_page"]YouTube - Honda Accord vs Honda Jazz - Crash test compatibilitÃ* IIHS, Sicurauto.it[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKSPxQjPOm0&feature=channel_page"]YouTube - Mercedes C vs smart fortwo - Crash test compatibilitÃ* IIHS, Sicurauto.it[/ame]