Subcompact cars fare poorly in new crash tests

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DETROIT (AP) — Subcompact cars fared poorly in new crash tests performed by an insurance industry group.

None
of the 12 minicars tested got the highest rating of "good" from the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Chevrolet Spark was the only
car that earned the second-highest rating of "acceptable." Six of the
cars — including the segment’s best-seller, the Nissan Versa — got the
lowest rating of "poor."
All of the cars were from the 2013 or 2014 model years.
"Small,
lightweight vehicles have an inherent safety disadvantage. That’s why
it’s even more important to choose one with the best occupant
protection," said Joe Nolan, IIHS’s senior vice president for vehicle
research.
The institute’s small overlap test, which was introduced
in 2012, mimics what happens when a car’s front corner collides with
another vehicle or an object like a utility pole. In the test, 25
percent of a vehicle’s front end on the driver’s side strikes a rigid
barrier at 40 mph.
The test differs from the U.S. government’s frontal crash test, in which a car strikes a rigid barrier
head-on at 35 mph.
IIHS
says hitting only part of the front end makes it harder for cars to
manage the energy from a crash. In several of the subcompacts, the
structures collapsed, which can exacerbate injuries because the air
bags, seats and other parts get knocked out of position.
In the
test of the Honda Fit, for example, the steering column pushed so far
into the vehicle that the dummy’s head slid off the air bag and hit the
instrument panel. IIHS said the Fit was one of the worst performers in
terms of potential injuries to the driver.
Honda responded that
the 2015 Fit, which goes on sale in a few months, should earn a top
score on the small offset test. The recently redesigned Honda Civic,
which is one size up from the Fit, is among five small cars with "good"
ratings on the test. A four-door Civic is around 300 pounds heavier and
18 inches longer than the current four-door Fit.
The current Fit
does get top scores in the institute’s other four tests, including
measurements of roof strength and side impact protection.
IIHS
said the Fiat 500 was also one of the worst performers. The crash force
ripped the door hinges off the 500, causing it to fall open during the
test.
Spokesman Eric Maybe said the Fiat 500 meets all government
safety requirements and, like the Fit, gets "good" ratings in all four
of the institute’s other crash tests.
Cars with "marginal" ratings
were the Kia Rio, Mazda2, Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta. Cars with
"poor" ratings — in addition to the Fit, the Fiat 500 and the Versa —
were the Toyota Prius C, Mitsubishi Mirage and Hyundai Accent.
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