Prius "c" among those that received a "poor" rating in IIHS crash test...

I have a Honda Fit and I was a little dismayed to hear about the new crash results, but an article in Car & Driver indicated that many of the larger cars also fared poorly in the new highway institute crash test.

IIHS Subcompact Car Crash Results: Let's All Calm Down – News – Car and Driver | Car and Driver Blog

"Larger cars like the Acura TSX, the BMW 3-series, the Lincoln MKZ, and the Volkswagen CC earned “marginal” ratings. The Mercedes-Benz C-class, the Lexus IS and ES350, and the Audi A4 were given “poor” ratings. We can only assume that because small cars make a far catchier hook on which to hang some good-ol’ mainstream paranoia, Time never got around to whipping up “The Terrifying Video That Will Convince You Not to Buy a Car of Moderate Size!”

Drive carefully, definitely avoid hitting vehicles much larger than your own, but probably nothing to get too excited about.


iPad ?

 

My wife's 2013 Prius C after a rollover crash. Only injury was a cut on top of her head from glass. Do not worry about safety of a Prius C. The car will do it's job. Probably better than my Smart parked behind it.

 

I am amazed that so few know that big and heavy squashes little and light. No testing is necessary. The only thing that might be beneficial would be the extent that controlled deformation by design would offer. Thanks to modern structural design programs its helpful but not ultimate. The later the design the more likely the better structural collapsible control.
And the only advantage of small and lite is quicker changes in direction which is better at avoiding or reducing collisions. So its better avoiding but more damages when collisions occur. If you drive execting a collision, get a tank.
As for smaller wheels - and lighter - the more likely to be rammed into the drivers compartment. more weight is harder to move. Its more likely the smaller wheels and tires are accounting decisions, notengineering. pentdulums only matter when tits swinging, not hit. And the Spark design gets the wheel/tire more offset from the passengewrs and therein better.

 

It's more likely the weight of what ever the tire/wheel crashes into will effect the force pushing the tire at or into the driver/passenger. Because the force is the force of the total colliding object the weight of tire is not important.

What is important is cars can be built to better resist this kind of failure by directing the wheel so it is more safe for people. Prius c is a safe car. All the newer cars are really safe. 20 years ago trauma patients from car crash were likely to have much worse injury. As a xray tech I have seen a big difference.