Lincoln MKS, BMW 5 struggle in small-overlap crash test

October 02, 2014 01:00 AM

IIHS

Driver space in the Lincoln MKS was “severely limited” after the crash, the IIHS said.

WASHINGTON -- Luxury sedans from BMW and Lincoln were the worst performers in the most recent batch of vehicles subjected to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s challenging small-overlap crash test.

The BMW 5 series received a “marginal” rating in the small-overlap test while the Lincoln MKS received a “poor” rating, making the MKS the only model of seven tested in IIHS’ “large luxury sedan” category to receive the safety group’s lowest rating. The latest round of testing included the Infiniti Q70 sedan, which received the top rating of “good.”

The small-overlap test is designed to gauge how well the driver is protected when the front corner of his or her vehicle collides with another vehicle or a fixed object such as a tree or utility pole. In the test, the front quarter of the driver’s side crashes into a solid barrier at 40 mph. The test has challenged several automakers since it was introduced in 2012, with vehicles from Honda, Kia, Nissan, Mazda and Audi receiving “poor” ratings on the test.

In a statement, IIHS said driver space in the Q70 was protected “reasonably well,” and that test dummy measurements taken after the crash showed a low risk of serious driver injury following the crash.

The MKS’ performance “couldn’t have been more different,” the IIHS statement said. Driver space in the MKS was “severely limited” after the crash, and injuries to the driver’s left hip would be “likely” while left knee and lower leg injuries would be “possible.”

In a statement, a Ford spokeswoman said the MKS is a safe vehicle with systems designed to protect passengers and avoid crashes, and a structure “designed to manage crash energy under a variety of crash conditions.”

“Safety is one of the highest priorities in the design of our vehicles,” the spokeswoman said. “Our cars and trucks consistently meet or exceed government safety standards in the countries in which they are sold. Ford prioritizes tests that focus on occupant protection and provide real-world safety benefits.”

The BMW 5 series performed “somewhat better” than the MKS, IIHS said, with similar levels of cabin intrusion but good control of the test dummy’s body movement from front and side airbags. Injuries to the left leg would be “likely,” IIHS said. The 5 series’ “marginal” rating is the second-lowest score available.

Four other vehicles already tested by IIHS -- the Hyundai Genesis, Acura RLX, Mercedes-Benz E class and Volvo S80 -- all earned “good” ratings on the small overlap.

IIHS said it had planned to test the Audi A6, Cadillac CTS and Lexus GS along with the vehicles in the results released today, but delayed those tests because automakers said they were making changes to improve the small-overlap performance of those cars. IIHS policy is to wait to test until such changes are made, if they are done in a “reasonable” time frame.

Small-overlap results are a key criterion in IIHS’ “Top Safety Pick +” accolade, which automakers have seized on as a marketing tool. Several companies have responded to the tougher test standards by accelerating safety engineering changes beyond scheduled redesigns.

Volkswagen, for example, made structural reinforcements to the Jetta for its 2015 model year midcycle update, improving the compact car’s performance on the small-overlap test from “marginal” to “good.”