Hope Model X does this well on the new small overlap crash test

[EarlyAdopter]

Don't know about Subaru, but you missed out two other important brands that have consistently put safety at the top of their list: Saab and Mercedes. I know Saab isn't around any longer, but given the choice I would rather sit in a twenty year old Saab during a crash than in a 2016 Toyota, Chevrolet or Fiat.

I remember an Episode of Top Gear where they did a Saab special and crash tested an old Saab versus a similarly old BMW 3 series by dropping both on a concrete floor from a certain hight. The results of the Saab were amazing.

Mercedes did not do well on the small overlap crash test when it was first introduced.

IIHS 2012 Mercedes C class

They've improved since, but it's evidence they engineered to the tests. This is as opposed to Volvo and Subaru who did well with their existing cars when the small overlap test was introduced, evidence to me that they were engineering to real world safety, not just crash tests.

A high standard, I know, but when it comes to choices in new vehicle purchases, this is at the top of my list.

Don't get me wrong - I'll take a Mercedes, particularly a newer (post 2012) one over any other car (other than Volvo, Subaru, and Tesla).

 

[Cobos]

I would not take old and heavy over lighter and newer when it comes to crash safety. This video from Fifth gear shows an old Volvo estate against a smaller Renault that is a lot more modern and well go look yourself.

Cobos

 

[AustinPowers]

Don't get me wrong - I'll take a Mercedes, particularly a newer (post 2012) one over any other car (other than Volvo, Subaru, and Tesla).

I can only speak from personal experience. In 1993 we had a horrific crash on a country road. A car turned into our (main) road from the left at a T-junction at the last moment, thereby disregarding our right of way. We were going around 50 mph, which was below the speed limit at that junction, when that car turned up in front of us. My father slammed the brakes of his 1983 Mercedes 240 D but it was too late of course, especially as the other fellow didn't really accelerate when he had completed the turn into our road (as it turned out he had some medical condition and shouldn't have been driving in the first place, hence he didn't even notice us until the crash). He drove an even older Audi 80 by the way. Well, the result was quite a crash, but neither my father, who was driving, nor my mother (front passenger) or myself (rear seat) had any injuries. The car took the beating, was totalled, but saved us beautifully. That was the main reason why my father got another Mercedes afterward, even though at the time he wasn't a big Mercedes fan any more, especially the staff at the local dealership was not to his liking at all. But for safety reasons he still got one, albeit a used one this time (the one that was totalled had been bought new from the factory).

Anyway, personal experience aside, I am curious to see how Model S and Model X will do in a small overlap crash test. Has anyone ever seen a video of such a test (obviously not Model X yet, but still)?

 

[trils0n]

This thread on TMC is a compilation of real world crash pictures. Quite a few would be considered small overlap. The Model S performs extremely well -- no cabin intrusion, and damage seems to be limited to front crumple area.

 

[ProSkeptic]

This thread on TMC is a compilation of real world crash pictures. Quite a few would be considered small overlap. The Model S performs extremely well -- no cabin intrusion, and damage seems to be limited to front crumple area.

Having been a part of designing a vehicle structure to perform well in a small-offset crash, I can tell you that only one of those cars possibly experienced an impact similar to what's modeled in the IIHS test - The seventh picture down, with the car sitting in the grass.

 

[EarlyAdopter]

Having been a part of designing a vehicle structure to perform well in a small-offset crash, I can tell you that only one of those cars possibly experienced an impact similar to what's modeled in the IIHS test - The seventh picture down, with the car sitting in the grass.

The fourth one down was as well. I remember it well as it was the first major collision involving a Model S. They left their lane and hit an older Honda Accord head on, small overlap. Driver of the Tesla was fine. Sadly, both the driver and the passenger of the Honda died instantly.

 

[Vitold]

The fourth one down was as well. I remember it well as it was the first major collision involving a Model S. They left their lane and hit an older Honda Accord head on, small overlap. Driver of the Tesla was fine. Sadly, both the driver and the passenger of the Honda died instantly.

In that crash the other car was an old Accord (92 or 93 I think) that absorbed most of the force.

Deadly Head On Collision - Laguna Canyon Road - Tesla Model S, Honda Accord 4-2-2013 - YouTube

 

[Spidy]

This doesn't look like it was just a small overlap.

 

[1208]

I would not take old and heavy over lighter and newer when it comes to crash safety. This video from Fifth gear shows an old Volvo estate against a smaller Renault that is a lot more modern and well go look yourself.

Cobos

Car Crash organisations such as EuroNCAP have got to start doing versus tests for all cars. At the moment a modern small car would get good rating but in real world versus a modern big and heavy car most modern smaller cars would do a lot worse than them because they are lighter.

http://www.thetorquereport.com/2009/04/post_33.html

 

[EarlyAdopter]

This doesn't look like it was just a small overlap.

View attachment 95358

Definitely small overlap. Both cars hit each other on the driver's side, about 1/4 of the way in. In the case of the Tesla, the crash forces deflected out around the passenger compartment, following the curve of those intrusion beams and around the battery pack. In the case of the Honda, the crash forces intruded in on the passenger compartment straight on, with no deflection outwards.

You can see the result on both cars quite well in this aerial photo:

 

[ProSkeptic]

At the risk of splitting hairs over a tragic situation...

Looking at the front end of the Tesla, I'd say it was much closer to the 40% overlap crash scenario, albeit likely at a higher speed than the test protocol.

 

[bwa]

Accord was curled into itself, looks like -- kind of wrapped and compressed by the turning wrap.

Eventually we might see some horrific accident footage of a small overlap in lieu of lab testing, but it would be nice to not have to wait for that, and even nicer for it never to happen.