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Mazda 6 Tops IIHS Low-Speed Crash Test

Although designed to withstand medium speed crash tests with reasonable amount of protection to occupants, it would appear today's vehicles are a real pain in the behind when it comes to low speed crashes. Not because these tests prove the car is unsafe, but because it will require a indecent amount of money to repair the effects of an everyday fender-bender.

"Consumers buy midsize cars for practical reasons. There's nothing practical about a $1,000-plus repair bill after a minor bump in commuter traffic,"Joe Nolan, Institute senior vice president said when announcing the results of the tests..

IIHS this time put to the test the 2009 models of the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, and Nissan Maxima. They all performed better than their 2007 predecessors. The Accord will cost the owner an average $1,133 to repair (marginal), the Sonata $1,285 (marginal), the Mazda 6 $871 (acceptable) and the Maxima $1,687 (poor).

Beware of the US built vehicles, however. Out of the two tested this time, neither the Ford Fusion nor the Chevrolet Malibu managed to impress. They both received poor rating, with $2,207 repair costs for the Fusion and $2,329 for the Malibu.

IIHS rates bumpers good, acceptable, marginal, or poor based on performance in 4 tests: front and rear full-width impacts at 6 mph (9 km/h)and front and rear corner impacts at 3 mph (5 km/h). The vehicles are run into a steel barrier designed like a car bumper.

"Although midsize car bumpers still allow way too much damage in minor impacts, it's encouraging that some manufacturers are designing better ones," Nolan said, reffering to the one who won the biggest score, the Mazda 6. "Mazda is trying to protect buyers' pocketbooks while many other carmakers are letting them take a big hit in low-speed crashes," he concluded.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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