Today’s consumers heavily consider crash safety ratings when making a new vehicle purchase, especially in the midsize sedan segment. In this video we’re shown footage of the IIHS crash testing for both the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu and 2016 Nissan Altima. This particular test allows the IIHS to rate a small overlap front crash scenario, a moderate overlap front crash scenario, side, roof strength, head restraint and seats, headlights, child seat anchors, and overall front crash prevention.
While both cars received a superior front crash prevention rating, the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu ended up having the slight advantage. From the above camera angle, you can see that the dotted line is straighter than that of the 2016 Nissan Altima after impact. Overall, the 2016 Malibu appears to absorb the impact better than the Altima. Not surprising, considering that the 2016 Malibu was awarded a “Good” rating by the IIHS in overlap crash safety. Watch the video for yourself, and let us know if you agree.
Comments
This demonstrates that General Motors is on the right track with it’s implementation of vehicle design that allow cars to be bigger and lighter without sacrificing safety.
The crash test performance of the new ‘Bu is quite impressive. I haven’t seen 2016 Cruze crash test videos, but I did read the scores and analyses from the 2016 Cruze. If anything, the Cruze scores seem even more impressive, taking into account that it is a smaller car. GM has really stepped their safety up a notch.
One thing I’ve noted in the side crash test videos of the 2016 Malibu: It seems they are testing cars with the driver’s side window and passenger’s side window made of laminated glass. You can see the glass essentially hold together, instead of shattering all over the place like the usual tempered glass windows. Apparently, carmakers, especially GM, are increasingly using laminated glass on windows to decrease noise levels. However, there seem to be safety and UV protection benefits as well from this trend.
My first reaction was “Hey, this is a great idea, why aren’t all the carmakers doing this?” But when I looked more closely at the crash test videos, I noticed that the laminated glass didn’t actually all stick together. Most of it stayed stuck to the laminated central plastic film, but some shards are visible flying around.
This now has me wondering if laminated side window glass is actually safer. Yes, there is less glass flying around in a crash than with tempered glass side windows. However, when tempered glass shatters, the pieces are small squarish pieces that can cut, but are unlikely to seriously injure. Using laminated glass results in fewer pieces of glass flying around in crashes, but these glass shards look longer, sharper, and more likely to cause serious puncture injuries to a person being tossed around in a car in a crash.
Anyone know if my analysis is correct?
Well, I read up a bit more on the laminated glass side windows vs tempered glass debate, and there’s no clear answer on which is safer. There are very solid arguments on both sides. Which is better completely depends on the situation.
Bizarrely, auto companies have been successfully sued both ways. Plaintiffs a few years ago successfully sued Ford for not having laminated glass on side windows, resulting in people (unbelted) getting ejected through the tempered glass side windows in rollover crashes. Meanwhile, other auto companies have been successfully sued because they used laminated glass, which is much more resistant, trapping people in cars in water or on fire or preventing rescuers from quickly extracting people in cars. Reminds me of the old Far Side cartoon with people in Hell being given a choice of two doors, written on them “Damned if you do” and “Damned if you don’t” and flames coming out of both of them.
After doing some reading, I think I actually prefer keeping the tempered glass.
The only thing I see that the Nissan does better is that the top of the door frame doesn’t separate from the cars’ A pillar like it does in the Malibu, the general direction the crash test dummies head goes.
I noticed that too Paul.