The landscape of road safety is rapidly changing, especially with deteriorating roads, increased driver distractions, and a rise in the size and weight of vehicles on American roads. In response, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has raised the bar for its side-impact tests and reevaluated current compact vehicles. While some cars performed satisfactorily, models like the Subaru Crosstrek, Impreza hatchback, and Impreza sedan showed weaknesses in this assessment.
The IIHS examined a variety of small cars including the Mazda 3 sedan and hatchback, the Nissan Sentra, the Toyota Corolla sedan and hatchback, the Honda Civic sedan and hatchback, the Kia Forte, and the aforementioned Subarus. Among these vehicles, only the Subarus and Forte received a “poor” rating. The Mazdas were rated as “good,” while the other cars earned an “acceptable” score in the new evaluation.
Interior view of the 2022 Subaru Crosstrek side-impact crash test. IIHS
In the latest side-impact examination, the IIHS enhanced the rigor of the assessment by simulating a heavier and taller vehicle to better replicate real-world scenarios. Instead of the previous test involving a 3,300 lb vehicle at 31 mph, the new assessment employs a 4,200 lb vehicle at 37 mph. With an additional 900 lbs and six mph in kinetic energy, the assessment represents a more significant challenge for vehicle safety.
Regarding Subaru’s “poor” score, the IIHS identified several factors. The intrusion of the B-pillar and interior door panels into the occupant compartment was more significant, infringing on the survival space and enhancing the risk of torso injuries for the driver and rear passenger. In the previous assessment, the Crosstrek received a “good” rating.
As this evaluation matures, more vehicle manufacturers will need to adapt. It is still early in the process, but observing the impact of adjusting the test to mimic an SUV-like vehicle on models that performed well in the previous evaluation underscores the advancements that still need to be made and the risks that SUVs pose to occupants of smaller vehicles.
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