New U.S. crash tests: Only Hyundai Sonata, BMW 5 get 5 stars
Only the BMW 5 Series and Hyundai Sonata got 5-star overall ratings in the new, tougher U.S. crash tests for 2011 models out today.
New this year: the feds' first "female" crash-test dummy, a crash into a pole and an overall score of 1 to 5 stars (based on a weighted average of risk of injury in the front and side crashes and rollover resistance compared to other vehicles), in addition to the usual scores in individual tests. Just the Hyundai and BMW first 34 vehicles tested the new way earned 5 stars overall.
Biggest surprise: The 2011 Toyota Camry, the best-selling U.S. car, got just 3 stars overall, after the nearly identical 2010 model got top scores. And the Camry Hybrid model was the only other vehicle to get 3 stars overall.
Toyota notes that it is the test procedure, not the car, that changed. "Even when there are no changes to the vehicle's design, the score may go down from Model Year 2010 to Model Year 2011. This is caused by the new testing procedures, not because the vehicle is less safe."
Nissan's 2011 Versa was at the bottom, however, as the only vehicle to score just 2 stars overall. Nissan says the poor showing is due to the Versa's old design. The automaker says it is working on ways to improve the car's crash-test scores without a full redesign but can't say how long that might take.
The remaining 29 vehicles listed in the 2011 rankings scored 4 stars overall. NHTSA will test 22 more 2011 models.
The program, which has tested risk of injury in front and side crashes, as well as rollover tendency, was toughened for 2011 models. Procedures now include more sizes of dummies and the pole crash and also a listing of the vehicle's added safety tech, such as electronic stability control.
One reason for the changes was to give shoppers more information, since high scores had become so common. But because almost all the vehicles got 4 stars overall in the new system, you have to dig into the results of individual tests for distinctions ? a worthwhile effort based on your size, your regular passengers and your driving situation.
"More stars equal safer cars," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told the Associated Press. "Through new tests, better crash data and higher standards, we are making the safety ratings tougher and more meaningful for consumers."
NHTSA warned on its website that scores on the old and new system shouldn't be compared ? that lower scores were due to the new test stringency, not because a given vehicle is less safe. "A low rating is going to be a negative" to potential buyers, says Jesse Toprak at auto researcher TrueCars.com. "Sonata and Camry are about the same price, same equipment; one has five stars, one has three -- I'm going to pick the one with five stars."
NHTSA posted test results on the first batch of vehicles here today. There's a ton of data, including separate star ratings for male and female injury risk in the various tests and seating positions. It's little hard to navigate because you have to click each vehicle individually to see all its data. Just the crash stars and overall scores for all 34 are availabe in a grid with the NHTSA press release here. To know more on the changes in the testing, click the "read more" below to see a good roundup posted by Drive On friend Joe Wiesenfelder at Cars.com's Kicking Tires.
Fred Meier/Drive On
NHTSA Revamps Five-Star Safety Ratings
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced changes to its five-star New Car Assessment Program, which will begin with more than 50 2011 model-year vehicles. The changes range from a new side-pole test to the use of a wider range of test-dummy sizes, which better represent occupants of all sizes. The new regimen also records more data, which is then analyzed and weighted to produce a single overall safety rating to accompany the existing separate frontal- and side-impact crash-test ratings and rollover-resistance ratings. The program will also "highlight" equipped safety features that help prevent crashes.
Today, we'll tell you about the changes to the program. On Tuesday we'll have comprehensive coverage of the first 33 cars, crossovers, SUVs and minivans tested by government under the program. More than 50 models will be tested this year.
Side Pole Test
The pole test, which simulates a car sliding sideways into a tree or post, can reveal weaknesses that aren't reflected in the traditional barrier test, in which the test car is T-boned by a sled that's roughly the weight and height of a midsize sedan. The new NCAP combines both tests' results into a single side rating.
Head injuries from both side tests now factor into the star rating. The previous program recorded head acceleration but didn't include the results in the star ratings -- one of Cars.com's greatest objections. Side-impact collisions are more likely than frontal crashes to cause head injuries, which are among the most dangerous and potentially fatal. (In previous NCAP tests, head-acceleration data could earn a vehicle the "safety concern" citation, but it's too easy to glance at a star rating and think a vehicle's score is acceptable.)
New Dummies, More Data
The program's new crash-test dummies cover a wider range of sizes, and all of them collect more data than their forebears did. This gives a clearer picture of the trauma occupants experience in a collision, so the vehicles whose star ratings are substantially lower may have uncovered weaknesses the previous dummies didn't, according to NHTSA.
What Hasn't Changed
NCAP rollover ratings remain unchanged along with the methodology.
As before, the rollover rating estimates a vehicle's propensity to roll over, not the protection it provides when a rollover occurs. The star rating is based on a calculation of the vehicle's dimensions and center of gravity. The test subjects vehicles to a panic maneuver and reports whether it raises two wheels off the ground. The results supplement the star rating with a "tip" or "no-tip" notation.
NHTSA vs. IIHS
How does the new government testing array compare against those from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety? When you see the scores on Tuesday you'll get some stark contrasts. The difference in ratings come down to the types of tests and how they're conducted by the two groups.
The new NCAP pole test is one IIHS doesn't conduct. In the side barrier test, the NCAP sled that's used to ram test vehicles is roughly the height and weight of a midsize car. IIHS' version emulates a full-size pickup truck.
The NCAP frontal crash test runs a vehicle into a solid wall, mimicking a direct head-on collision. This is less realistic, or at least less common, than the type of crash represented in the IIHS test. The IIHS barrier is deformable ? to emulate another vehicle ? and engages one-half of the test vehicle's front end rather than its entire width. Though this test is arguably more real-world, the NCAP frontal test isn't without merit. Because it's a different type of collision, it provides different information than the IIHS test, and both are useful in determining a car's crashworthiness. The same can be said of the other differences in methodology.
NCAP's rollover rating predicts the likelihood that a vehicle will roll over; IIHS' roof-strength test estimates how much protection it will provide if it does happen. Both organizations have historically stated that they consider their work complementary, not contradictory.
Crash Avoidance Technologies
The new program also "highlights" what the organization calls crash avoidance technologies ? active safety features that serve to prevent collisions. Currently, the features are limited to electronic stability control, lane departure warning and forward collision warning systems. NHTSA doesn't test the features; it only mentions on SaferCar.gov if the model offers the feature. On dealer lots, the part of the window sticker for the star ratings won't cite the features, while theoretically, the manufacturer-listed features, which take up much of the sticker, could. Often these features vary throughout a specific model's lineup with top trims equipped with more of these features or specific option packages.
-- Joe Wiesenfelder/Cars.com's Kicking Tires
PROTECTING YOUR INVESTMENT
AGAINST ROAD SALT
During the winter months, road salt is a savior for many drivers. The salt-and-sand combinations used by many communities, when applied within a few hours after a snow storm, reduce accidents by as much as 88.3%, according to a study done by Marquette University.1 When salt is added to the road ways, it's molecules prevent the water molecules from creating the solid bond created when water freezes.2 The sand helps to keep the salt on the roadway, and to provide some traction. While it does improve roads, salt does not create perfectly safe roadways; there is always the chance for an accident, and safe driving practices must always be observed on wet and slushy roads.
When a vehicle rusts, generally it is rusting from the inside of the vehicle to the outside, where there is not any paint to protect the metal. This is why you will see paint bubbles on the outside of a car before any rust. When salt and water are in contact with the various metals of a vehicle, the salt and water molecules will cause the metals to oxidize at a quicker pace. With the average cost of a vehicle being $26,300 in the second quarter of 20093, and with the average cost per mile at $0.544, it is important to maintain your investment during the winter months, when road salt is used most prevalently.
Here are some tips and tricks to follow during the winter months to help ease road salt corrosion on a vehicle.
- The biggest deterrent to salt damage is to wash your car frequently.
- Wash your vehicle every ten days or even less.
- If the temperature is 40° Fahrenheit or above, take the time to wash your vehicle.
- The best time to wash your vehicle is during the day, so that there is time for it to dry before temperatures drop below freezing for the night.
- After washing your vehicle, open all the doors, the trunk, gas cover door, and use the locks several times before any excess water has a chance to freeze.
- Be sure to wash the undercarriage of your vehicle. Remember, most salt corrosion happens from the inside of the vehicle!
- Wax your vehicle every six months or so to create a protective layer against acid rain/snow. Apply a coat right before the winter months to help protect the exterior paint against salt.
- If there are any paint chips larger than the size of a pen tip, be sure to repair them before the metal oxidizes, therefore creating the opportunity for water and salt to corrode the metal from the outside.
- Avoid driving in large puddles where salt water can accumulate.5
Rust proofing a new vehicle immediately after purchase is another option. This should not be done to used vehicles because the process can trap dirt and excess moisture, therefore causing increased corrosion. By following these tips, your investment will stand with you for as it is needed.
~Check out more information on how to protect your investment (click on picture below) with Xzilon, the Ultimate Auto Protection; it's an exterior, fabric, carpet, vinyl and leather protector to help save the life or your vehicle!
-Heather Topolski
Country
Greenfield
December 23, 2009
Sources:
- "Benefits of road salt." Roadway Safety. 2009. Salt Institute, Web.
2. Senese, Fred. "Why Does Salt Melt Ice." General Science Online!. 07 31 2007.
3. Calogera, Stephen. "Average price of a vehicle purchased in the 2nd quarter was $26,300." egmCarTech. 08 19 2009. Comercia Bank, Web.
4. "Your Driving Costs." AAA Association Communication 2009: 2. Web.
5. "Protecting Your Car From Road Salt." Autotropolis. 2008. Autotropolis, Inc., Web.