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The iconic trio of muscle cars has been subjected to crash tests and the results aren’t ideal.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has evaluated the 2016 Dodge Challenger, 2016 Ford Mustang and 2016 Chevrolet Camaro for their crashworthiness and none of them were able to get a Top Safety Pick designation. The agency typically doesn’t test sports cars, but it tested these three models with V8 engines because they are higher volume sellers in their class.
The results show that the Challenger is in need of the most improvement, while the Mustang came the closest to getting the coveted Top Safety Pick award, and the Camaro fell short in one category.
To get the Top Safety Pick designation, cars must get good ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests as well as some sort of basic front collision avoidance system (like a warning system). To get the Top Safety Pick+ designation, the car must get a good rating in all five tests and have an advance crash mitigation system (like automatic emergency braking).
All three pony cars earned good ratings for the occupant protection, side impact and moderate overlapfront crash. In the newest and toughest test, the small overlap front test that simulates when a car hits a tree or pole or clips an oncoming car, the Camaro earned a good rating, the Mustang was acceptable and the Challenger got a marginal rating.
So, an advocacy group evaluates products it doesn't like and puts out overwrought report that says said products are bad. The media, operating on the "if it bleeds, it leads" run with the story without a critical evaluation or explanation. OK, got it. Admit it, the insurance companies don't like performance cars and would be just peachy keen with all of us driving around in disarmed Sherman tanks with 50hp on tap. Or 4 cyl Volvo station wagons, take your pick. Plus if you read the headlines you would get the impression that by merely sitting in said cars you're one step away from awful, fiery death. Take a deep breath.
The good news in all this is that the Mustang came out on top....... Beating out Chevy Camaros and Dodge Challenger. Missed the Good rating by 1.......
Like we don't think ours cars can be dangerous?? ****, going 135 mph is unsafe in any vehicle. Remember, I am more focused at 120 mph and am definitely not texting, than I would be at 55 mph.
5/27/16, 09:26 AM
