Saab, Volvo best in first-ever IIHS convertible crash tests

For the first time, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has tested 10 convertibles and found five that offer good crash protection.

The Saab 9-3 and Volvo C70 earned the Institute's highest Top Safety Pick award. And the Chrysler Sebring, Mitsubishi Eclipse, and Volkswagen Eos all earned Good scores in both front- and side-crash tests. The Ford Mustang and Toyota Camry Solara earned Good or Acceptable scores in both front- and side-crash tests.

IIHS rates vehicles on a scale of Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor. The BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, and Pontiac G6 convertibles had marginal scores in the side-crash test.

Side-crash protection is challenging in a convertible. Most Good-rated, hard-top cars use a curtain head-protection and/or side air bag combination. The Volvo is the only convertible here to use a curtain air bag, although the Volkswagen side air bag (shown) did reduce the risk of significant driver injury.

The IIHS side-crash test mimics the front of a midsized SUV striking the side of the car at 35 mph. The front test simulates two vehicles each traveling 40 mph striking head-on with only the center and driver's side of the vehicle making contact, as happens in many real-world accidents.

The Institute also rates vehicles for their whiplash protection in rear crashes. Only the Saab and the Volvo achieved Good rear-crash scores. The Mitsubishi Eclipse, Pontiac G6, and Volkswagen Eos were Marginal. All others were Poor.

Rollover protection is also important in convertibles, and five of the cars -- the Audi, BMW, Saab, Volvo, and Volkswagen -- have both standard roll bars and electronic stability control. Electronic stability control has been shown to reduce deaths in single car accidents by 56 percent by reducing the likelihood that the vehicle will roll over. Stability control is optional on the Chrysler Sebring, Pontiac G6, and Toyota Solara, but not available on the Ford Mustang and Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Of these convertibles, we have only tested the Mustang and the Solara. We continue to recommend the Solara, but we do not recommend the Mustang because of its below-average reliability.  Look for a test of the new hard-top convertible models (Chrysler Sebring, Pontiac G6, Volkswagen Eos, and Volvo C70), as well as the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, sometime next year.

To see how other models have performed in IIHS evaluations, select from crash test videos on more than 150 models.

--Eric Evarts

Comments

[Vera Smith-Jones]

This is an important topic, and so is convertible safety in general. It is why California Drivers for Convertible Safety (CDFCS) is pushing for mandatory helmetage for all drivers and passengers of convertible motorcars by the year 2012.

Our children are our most precious resource.

[Dave Lim]

I think they should start by requiring real roll bars first before the helmet. A helmet head won't product you against the weight of the car.

[eggsngrits]

A helmet for convertible users? What rubbish!

Mr. Lim is correct: helmets won't help much in a roll-over. In other crashes, maybe.

If you want convertible safety, buy a Saab! I did!

[Brian Mills]

Have you noticed that Saab does not have a solid roof nore has curtain airbags from the roof and equalled a Volvo with a hard top and side curtain airbags from roof..imagine if the Saab has side curtain airbags like Volvo...CR would have to create a new level of protection grading ie) VERY GOOD! Look at the safetey record for Saab 9-3 for the last 10 years includign the newer Sport Sedan - not much compares in the world, even BMW or Audi!
Buy a Saab, I did twice in 5 years! and travelled more than 300,000Km worry free!

[Owen Coulman]

Only in California would someone try to mandate helmetage in a CONVERTIBLE! Kinda defeats the purpose of paying the extra $$ for the privelege of losing the lid. I live in Socal and I would submit to the CDFCS that they pursue convincing people to quit driving like imbeciles and the accident rate for all vehicles will go down. Please refrain from trying to save stupid people from themselves. Natural selection works perfectly if not interfered with.

[The Comedian]

Lighten up, Francis.

I'm pretty sure the helmet touting post of "Vera Smith-Jones" is satire.

If not, God help us.