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IIHS Introduces Tougher Side Crash Test, Mazda CX-5 Passes It With Flying Colors

Established in 1959, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has tested 20 small SUVs for side-impact protection. All of them earned good ratings in the first-generation side test according to the non-profit organization, but as fate would have it, only the Mazda CX-5 has aced the second-gen test, which utilizes a heavier barrier traveling at higher speed.
Mazda CX-5 crash test 14 photos
Photo: IIHS
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Instead of the previous barrier’s 3,300 pounds (1,497 kilograms), the brand-new design tips the scales at 4,180 pounds (1,896 kilograms). That is pretty much the weight of a mid-size sport utility vehicle. The side collision takes place at 37 miles per hour (60 kilometers per hour) as opposed to 31 miles per hour (50 kilometers per hour) in the original evaluation. In other words, these alterations involve 82 percent more energy. That’s not all, though…

The honeycomb surface of the new barrier is different as well, acting more like a real utility vehicle in the side-impact crash test. The IIHS rates vehicles in this particular scenario by how well the occupant compartment structure holds its shape during the crash. Injury measures collected from the driver and second-row dummies and how well the airbags protect the heads of the two SID-II dummies also matter. What’s more, the dummies used in both seating positions represent a small woman or a small child.

As mentioned beforehand, only the Mazda CX-5 has managed to pass the second-generation test with flying colors. “The good rating for the CX-5 shows that robust protection in a more severe side crash is achievable,” said IIHS president David Harkey. Nine of the 20 SUVs had to settle for acceptable ratings, eight received marginal ratings, and two were deemed poor. The Honda HR-V and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross performed the worst.

“These results aren’t great, but they’re in line with what we expected when we adopted this more stringent test,” said research engineer Becky Mueller.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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