Crash Test Midsize Cars – Camry, Malibu, Accord, Altima, Sonata...

Only three of seven midsize cars tested earn good or acceptable ratings in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s updated side crash test.

List of tested SUVs:
Toyota Camry
Chevrolet Malibu
Nissan Altima
Honda Accord
Volkswagen Jetta
Hyundai Sonata
Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback is the only midsize car to earn a good rating. With somewhat higher levels of occupant compartment intrusion, the Hyundai Sonata and Volkswagen Jetta manage acceptable ratings.

Overall, this initial group of midsize cars did not perform as well as the first batches of small and midsize SUVs evaluated earlier. One reason could be their lower ride height.

"With vehicles that sit lower to the ground, the striking barrier hits higher on the door panel,” says IIHS President David Harkey. “That potentially puts sedans and wagons at a disadvantage in this evaluation but reflects what happens in a real-world crash when these vehicles are struck by a higher-riding pickup or SUV.”

The head-protecting airbags for the driver and rear passenger performed well in the Outback, Sonata and Jetta, contributing to a low risk of head and neck injuries for occupants in both seating positions. However, injury measures were somewhat elevated for the driver’s pelvis and rear passenger’s torso in the Jetta and the rear passenger’s pelvis in the Sonata.

The Honda Accord earns a marginal rating, and the Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry earn poor ratings.

There was moderate intrusion of the B-pillar into the occupant compartment of the Accord. Injury measures for the driver’s pelvis were somewhat elevated, and the driver’s head moved downward past the side curtain airbag to contact the windowsill during the crash.

The Altima and Malibu showed substantial intrusion into the occupant compartment, but the safety cage of the Camry held up well. Injury measures indicated a high risk of torso and pelvis injuries for the driver in the Altima, a moderate risk of torso and pelvis injuries for the driver and high risk of pelvis injuries for the rear passenger in the Camry, and a high risk of head or neck injuries for the driver in the Malibu. In all three vehicles, the heads of either the driver or rear passenger dummy or both slipped below the side curtain airbag to contact the windowsill.

IIHS developed the updated side crash test after research showed that many of the real-world side impacts that still account for nearly a quarter of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities are more severe than the original evaluation.

The updated side crash test uses a heavier barrier traveling at a higher speed to simulate the striking vehicle. The new barrier weighs 4,200 pounds — close to the weight of today’s midsize SUVs — and strikes the test vehicle at 37 mph, compared with a 3,300-pound barrier traveling at 31 mph in the original evaluation.

For now, the updated test is not included in the IIHS award criteria. However, starting in 2023, a good or acceptable rating will be required for the lower-tier TOP SAFETY PICK award and a good rating will be needed for the higher-tier TOP SAFETY PICK+.

All seven of these vehicles earn good ratings in the original side test.

► These results are valid only for models sold in USA

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✅ Source: IIHS

00:00 Intro
00:15 Preparing for Test
02:03 Toyota Camry
03:05 Chevrolet Malibu
04:05 Nissan Altima
05:05 Honda Accord
05:59 Volkswagen Jetta
06:53 Hyundai Sonata
07:56 Subaru Outback
08:57 Detailed Results Join us to enjoy exclusive benefits:

[rbielarski]

The comparison should have been with the Subaru Legacy sedan not the Outback Wagon/SUV variant to be completely fair to the other sedans.

[TheHuskyK]

Tbh, I did not expect the Camry to be rated so low

[HelenFire]

The Chevy Malibu Crash was particularly shocking. Think twice about choosing it as your next rental.

[Oleksandr]

Yes the Subaru has a greater ground clearance which means the rocket panel is higher and more leveled with the crash bar of a t-bond vehicle. So it provides a greater resistance. And Subaru does not position Outback as a full size sedan.

[mravocadoman]

That Subaru should be in a separate video with wagons and SUVs. But we do see that a slightly lift vehicle may do better at this test because more of the frame is in the way. One I am interested to see and may do better is the new Toyota Crown. The lifted sedan may score just as well as the Subaru. Just saying. Even if these sedans aren't doing so well with this new test, personally I'd still get one over a crossover or an SUV due to fuel efficiency, simplicity, practicality, and space (as in, I don't take up space)

[jamsbong]

This is an unfortunate direction that cars are heading. Because of safety and love of SUVs/Trucks, vehicles on the road are getting heavier than 15 years ago. The leads to the National Highway authority to adjust the crash test to suit today's real-life-scenario. In respond, automakers will have to make their cars stronger and thus heavier which leads to ever heavier cars into the future. Then the IIHS will change the crash rules to be even more stringent. This cycle will continue to make vehicles heavier on the road.

[anonim.]

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[matthewgrayson]

Don’t understand the Subaru isn’t a sedan, & it’s higher off the ground. Can’t compare with sedans or same class.

[CarlosJFM]

good job for subaru team, but i would like to see mazda, kia and volvo

[ethanl]

for some reason I find it funny that the ramming vehicle has American racing wheels

[bobit]

holy crap, 37mph is not that fast and it does that much damage. 50mph pretty a goner

[reniyerk]

Jetta being C-class performed better than most of D-class cars

[zimin]

what is the black one without window, that seems solid, it hit 6 car and still work well

[balazsdusek]

doing crash tests sounds like a really fun job

[nasiransari]

I think Sonata is the winner .🤔 subaru is suv not sedan .😁

[sebslides]

It’s fitting that the crash tester has mustang wheels

[beckenham]

I prefer low cars because they handle corners better.
The IIHS has always slander to the Camry.
And this VDO is trying to encourage you to buy the SUVs.
The Camry has rear passenger airbags and the structure didn't collapse much. How can it be poor?

[Алексей-оъ]

Просто у Субару большая часть удара приходится на порог, потому что он выше, а у седанах порог не задействован.

[BB-kigamez]

Hyundai Sonata is one of the most underrated car in the world I don't know why I am driving Sonata since 2019 and I am so so satisfied and happy with sonata 😊

[aleksandr]

Одного не понял - зачем на телеге тормозные диски и суппорта, если она не планирует тормозить :)))