The Ford Mustang is really leaving a good impression on the Aussie buying public, but it's leaving a bad impression on American crash-test dummies, says the USA's equivalent to ANCAP.
Based on the results of a test programme for the Mustang, the Chevy Camaro and the Dodge Challenger, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has criticised the three muscle cars for crash protection that doesn't measure up to their performance potential.
According to the test experts, the Mustang came closest to winning a 'Top Safety Pick' rating from IIHS, while the Camaro placed second and the Challenger, hamstrung by being the oldest design of the three, was the car most in need of improvement. The Camaro fell short in one category and lacks a front crash prevention system (AKA forward collision warning).
To achieve the Top Safety Pick rating from IIHS, a test vehicle must achieve 'good' scores across all five categories of crash testing. The Camaro fared well in all categories other than roof strength ('Acceptable' only), and the Mustang was deemed 'good' in all categories except the small frontal overlap test.
With the arrival of the new Alpha-plaform Camaro in the last 12 months, IIHS decided it was time to test it along with its two main competitors, one of which is the Mustang that's currently selling up a storm in Australia.
"Given that sports cars have high crash rates, it's especially important that they offer the best occupant protection possible in a crash," says Adrian Lund, IIHS president.
"The Mustang is just one good rating away from earning TOP SAFETY PICK. Its small overlap rating holds it back."
The small overlap test is relatively new to IIHS testing, and has been controversial since its introduction to the test protocol in 2012. Each car tested hits a rigid barrier at 40MPH (64km/h) along just 25 per cent of its width. The front wheel, suspension and firewall bear the brunt of the impact, and IIHS argues that this is closer to real-life experience. But by subjecting the vehicle's frontal crash structure over a narrower section the car's load paths cannot dissipate the energy as effectively. ANCAP hasn't adopted this test for cars assessed for the Australian and New Zealand markets.
"During the crash, the Challenger's front wheel was forced rearward into the occupant compartment, and the footwell intrusion trapped the dummy's left foot and deformed its ankle," Lund explained.
"Our technicians had to unbolt the dummy's foot from its leg in order to free it. Entrapment is pretty rare. That's only happened five other times in a small overlap test.
"The Camaro's safety cage is built to resist intrusion in a small overlap crash, and that's good news for Camaro drivers."