THE DRIVER space of the Chevrolet Equinox was maintained after the crash, and the dummy’s movement was well-controlled (left). In the right photo, the Honda Pilot’s cabin was nearly crushed, with intrusions from the pedals causing potential injury.
As consumers, we usually equate sport utility vehicles (SUVs) with being safe in a crash. Given their mass, tall ride height, and image of sturdiness, we think that they would prove to be sturdy when the worst happens. Sadly, that is not the case with eight out of nine midsize SUVs tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), based in the United States. The IIHS put the SUVs through their most severe crash test so far, the small overlap front crash test.
THIS TYPE of test is more severe than the head-on crashes conducted by government testing.
The small overlap test replicates conditions when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or a stationary object such as a tree or utility pole. To simulate this, the test subjects 25 percent of a vehicle’s front end on the driver’s side with a rigid barrier at 64 kilometers per hour. This type of test is more severe than the head-on crashes conducted by government testing, or the previous IIHS moderate overlap test. The small crash area tends to bypass the main structures of the vehicle’s front crush zone, making the test hard to pass. In the worst cases, the entire occupant compartment can collapse.
That’s just what happened with the worst performer in the group, the Honda Pilot. The Pilot’s driver’s space was compromised by structures that intruded into the space. These included the parking brake pedal, which moved inward by 419 millimeters. Measurements from the crash test dummy indicated that injuries to the left hip would be likely, and injuries to the left knee and both lower legs would be possible. SUVs that likewise had a poor structure were the Mazda CX-9, with a pushed-in hinge pillar; the Ford Explorer; and the Kia Sorento.
The Chevrolet Equinox and its GMC Terrain twin earned “good” ratings across all the criteria. The driver space was maintained after the crash, and the dummy’s movement was well-controlled. It was nearly a perfect test performance, except for a gap in the side airbag coverage. GM modified the 2014 models to reinforce their front structure and door-hinge pillars.
THE TEST subjects 25 percent of a vehicle’s front end on the driver’s side with a rigid barrier at 64 kph.
The Toyota Highlander received an “adequate” for its structure and in the overall test. The Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota 4Runner and Ford Explorer were ranked “marginal,” while the Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9, and Honda Pilot were all rated “poor.”
Of these vehicles, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Ford Explorer, Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9 and Honda Pilot are officially available in the Philippines.
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