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

Here's another rational look at the test results from Torque News:

Should you be concerned the Prius C failed this new test? - Torque News

 

Nice! This is exactly why I know what I driving VERY safe.

 

This is extremely interesting because my wreck last week was almost in this same spot... Not quite as high of speed though. The A post, apron, and D post are all badly damaged and the roof and lower part of the frame under the front passenger door buckled. There is nothing left of the front right quarter panel.

 

While I do have some private sources, everything you need to find you will find in Automotive News. More than likely your library is a good source.f not try a local dealer. The latest is disclosure by Toyoda and Toyota on the next hybrids. Mentioned is a note that the next Prius C will handle and perform much better. Both performance and mpg. You can bet Mr Toyoda, pres of Toyota and motorsports driver, will see to that. Mazda 2 chassis is a good move.
one thing you may want to note is the little Chevy was 'acceptable'; I attribute that to the slanted nose design which deflects the small offset impact away from the passenger compartment while the Fit and Prius C are a bit more 'square' letting impact angle toward the passenger compartment. Another consideration is the test itself: if the test was run on at least 6 samples of each car there would be more statistical accuracy. I believe only one test per car is conducted; unfortunately for ratings just one sample is fraught with inaccuracy and if more tests were conducted the list would likely be different.
Aain the time between design and testing comparisons always has the older designs less protective than newer ones. Engineering designers are always learning so the more recent the design the more competent.
cheers.

 

Those same magazines also publish everything online... they won't publish something in a magazine that we wouldn't be able to find online. At this point, you are the only source that is saying anything about the C going to the 2.

 

And hitting head-on, yes the energy change is the same.. Both declerate from 35 to zero in the same time and distance; one going 70 and declerating to 0 would take twice as long if the two cars are idntical so the decekleration rates should be identical. The parked car will be knocked backward thus letting the 70 mph vehicle slow down much slower than it would if it were stopped cold.
The test uses a fixed obstacle which doesn't move back so the 35 mph car stops as quickly as the chassis crimps up. In many vehices thats abouyt 15" from 35 mph. On the 70 mph car its about 15" also because the parked car absorbs some of the impact; theoretically half, so the two would absorb an equal amoiunt of energy. Theb70 mph car may stop in 35 feet but the parked car will be knocked 70 feet Assuming of course both sides are equl weight chassis etc. In truth I'd rather be in the 70 mph car rather than the parked car because my initial cecleration in g's is likelely to be greater than initial g force in the parked car.
Neither will enjoy the expereience.

 

I don't put much stock in these tests by pseudo government, industry groups. I believe they have agendas just like I believe CR magazine does also. The Prius C regardless of tests is more crash worthy and safer than cars of yesteryear. I'm not going to allow some supposed expert agency prevent me from buying the car I want. I think these tests are a big scam. This message has been sanitized by its author.

 

As I drive in commuter traffic with large suv's and pickups all around me I guess I'm going to lose in a head on.
I would like to think I'm a good enough driver that I could reduce the angle of impact instead of closing my eyes and hitting the brakes. So far so good.

 

I believe these cars are very safe. The handle very well and can stop very quickly. With all the air bags and other safety features things are much safer than they used to be. I am an x-ray tech. and I have seen a dramatic reduction in serious injury from auto accidents over the last 20yr. now most of the accidents cause driver to have minor injury compaired to the past. a head on or slight off set with a larger vehicle will be very bad accident and in the old days many possibly most drivers in a small car would likely die from such accident. with airbags chances are much better.

 

Like someone already said, us motorcycle riders don't really pay attention to car crash tests anyway, lol.

 

That would be awesome to watch... do they do crash tests with motorcycles?

 

With music:

With a German speaking lady talking through the whole thing:

With a more quiet, ambient sounds but a little German thrown in:

I'm sure there are more to be found those were the first three I watched.

 

Oh man, that music is amazeballs.

 

Not so, both R&T and C&D as well as AN reported such; its been a while ago so its a year old news. Recently there was one ciomment about the new plant will produce the car fro toyuota. I'll see if I can dig it up but unfortunately I don't keep AN except for the sales data beginning of the month. How about this:
Mazda to Make Toyota Cars at Mexico Plant

<:section class="sector two column col10wide" sizset="false" sizcache01803786151524157="13 15 88">

By
Hiroyuki Kachi
Updated Nov. 9, 2012 1:54 p.m. ET
<:article class="module articleBody">
TOKYO—Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. said on Friday they have agreed on an auto production accord where Mazda will make cars for Toyota destined for the North American market at its plant in Mexico.
Under the deal, Mazda will divide about a quarter of its annual capacity at the new plant for production of sub-compact Toyota-brand...

 

We aren't disputing that they are making Toyota cars... what's in dispute is the C.

 

Having been a party to one of those tests I will say that they are merely a single example of whathappens when one vehicle crashes.; its notproperly an assigned value without at least 6 examples tested to meet stands for results. Still theyt are examples of big squashing little and only the dunces depend on IIHS 'results. The same can be said for CR.
That said, cars today are deesignedto collapse at rates consistent with reducing the g forces that are subjected to occupants. Thats whty the later the design the better the control of collapse.
BTW a g is a change in velocity of 32.16 ft per sec per sec. The critical value is 15 g's, a rate of change in velocity that will kill 50% of those subjected. 20's will kill half those subjected. And thats over a time at least one-half sec as I remember; very short periods of deceleration often have much less effect.
The crash tests are based on intrusion of car parts into the driver compartment so its not a matter of g forces. The amount of intrusion is quantified by the amount of contact - and where - the sandard belted dummy endures. And the force of the intrusiojn so there is a good guess just how njured a human body would sustain. And of course its a guess; a good guess but a guess nontheless.
And when the offset collision occurs on the passenger side all bets and guesses are off.

 

really. If they are producing 2's and Toyota wants to help Mazda, what other car would be produced for Toyota?
Thats been reported too. more digging. but here:
After the turmoil of last year, 2013 is getting off to a much better start for Mazda. The company has issued a release indicating that the forthcoming plant in Salamanca, Mexico has had its production capacity raised even though it isn't scheduled to go online until March 2014. The original plans called for a 140,000-unit capacity, 90,000 of that allotted for the Mazda2 and Mazda3, the remaining 50,000 for a small car Mazda would build for Toyota that would be based on the Mazda2. The new plans call for raising that by 90,000 units to a total of 230,000 units within two years, by the end of March 2016, and it looks like it will all go toward Mazda production to satisfy growing demand for Skyactiv vehciles. The Mexican plant's opening will be the return of Mazda manufacturing to North America, after Mazda6 production was moved back to Japan last year.

 

The Yaris would be my guess. Seeing as it's not a hybrid everywhere. The 2 isn't a hybrid so it is different tech. Maybe the Matrix would be moved to the new platform as well, but my guess is it wouldn't be.

 

In my case, 14 Jan 2013 proved that a moderate overlap front collision can happen. A driver ran a red light and smacked my 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara in the passenger side front panel which caused me to plow into a very sturdy 12" diameter traffic light pole at 40+ mph. I hit the pole nearly head on with the point of impact about in line with the steering wheel as far as left to right goes. In other words, this was a real world moderate overlap front collision. If you look at the link below for my 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara impact tests is shows Good for the moderate overlap front collision test.


Vehicle details


If you look at the photos I took, I was lucky to walk out of it. I had a severe concussion and bleeding between the brain and skull, but I survived without any broken bones or internal injuries. It makes me wonder what my Prius c with its Poor test results would have been like. I would probably be dead. BTW, I bought the Prius c as a replacement to the totaled 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara.

 

Wow! That is a serious wreck! Glad you were able to walk out of it! How's the concussion?