Front crash test rating on 2016 CX-5?

tsouzee

Member
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E39 530i
Hello. I just realized through research that the 2016 CX-5's received only 3 stars on the front passenger crash test rating, as opposed to the 5 star rating in the '14 and '15 models. I'm wondering why the discrepancy on this when it seems there were no structural/body changes? Any insight would be helpful.
 
I don't know what I'm talking about so take this post with a large grain of salt.

It doesn't look like the NHTSA ever re-tested the CX-5 after the stiffening of the crash structure that was done half way though the 2014 model year to improve IIHS small overlap test results.

2014/2015 test data (actually tested a 2014MY car on Apr. 2013)
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2016 test data (tested 2016MY yar on Mar. 2015)
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You can see that the 2014 car's maximum crush was 598mm vs just 453mm for the 2016 car. That means that the crumple zone on the 2016 car was stiffer so it slowed the car down more quickly.

Looking at the passanger injury measurements, the 2016 actually does slightly better at most readings other than neck tension.

I really wouldn't worry about such a small difference in results. The "passenger" results are for a 4'11" 100 lb dummy, so if your passanger is a slightly different size they'll experience much different forces in a crash anyway.


here are the raw reports if you're interested:
2016:
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/databa...istvideo=Y&v_tstno=9136&database=v&tstno=9136
2015:
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/databa...istvideo=Y&v_tstno=8209&database=v&tstno=8209
 
I don't know what I'm talking about so take this post with a large grain of salt.

It doesn't look like the NHTSA ever re-tested the CX-5 after the stiffening of the crash structure that was done half way though the 2014 model year to improve IIHS small overlap test results.

2014/2015 test data (actually tested a 2014MY car on Apr. 2013)
2016 test data (tested 2016MY yar on Mar. 2015)

You can see that the 2014 car's maximum crush was 598mm vs just 453mm for the 2016 car. That means that the crumple zone on the 2016 car was stiffer so it slowed the car down more quickly.

Looking at the passanger injury measurements, the 2016 actually does slightly better at most readings other than neck tension.

I really wouldn't worry about such a small difference in results. The "passenger" results are for a 4'11" 100 lb dummy, so if your passanger is a slightly different size they'll experience much different forces in a crash anyway.
How did Mazda drop the ball on this? 2016 essentially had no change structure wise from previous MY, and the passenger safety rating from NHTSA frontal crash test has dropped from 5 stars to 3 stars! I think this is a significant drop-off as frontal crash test safety ratings on all 2016 vehicles I've seen at NHTSA website get at least 4 stars. I know many people bought CX-5 are based on excellent safety ratings from NHTSA and IIHS crash tests. This is hard to explain to my wife when she is sitting on the passenger seat.
 
Thanks for the replies. I agree with yrwei52. Very disconcerting, especially when last year was a 5 star with no change in structure. Very weird.
 
The car structure has not changed, I think they raised the bar on the crash test...
 
Pretty sure that I read somewhere the CX5 gets the highest rating if equipped with the Smart City Brake Support system.

Edit- per Mazda's website:

"The 2016 Mazda CX-5 was named a 2016 Top Safety Pick Plus by the IIHS when equipped with available Smart City Brake Support.*"
 
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lol.. I guess my disclaimer about not knowing what I'm talking about really dissuaded anyone from reading my post.

let me state my point again:

It doesn't look like the NHTSA ever re-tested the CX-5 after the stiffening of the crash structure that was done half way though the 2014 model year to improve IIHS small overlap test results.
 
The car structure has not changed, I think they raised the bar on the crash test...
No, NHTSA's crash test has not changed since 1990. Earlier 5-Star Safety Ratings provide front crash, side crash, and rollover resistance ratings from 1990 - 2010. New 5-Star Safety Ratings feature an Overall Rating Score to make it easy to compare newer vehicles from 2011 and newer.

It's Mazda who changed something which affected NHTSA frontal crash test on passenger dramatically:

2015 Mazda CX-5 gets 5 stars on overall rating, and 5 stars on frontal crash with 5 stars on driver and passenger.
2016 Mazda CX-5 gets 4 stars on overall rating, and 4 stars on frontal crash with 5 stars on driver and 3 stars on passenger.

The others:

2016 Honda CR-V gets 5 stars on overall rating, and 5 stars on frontal crash with 5 stars on driver and passenger.
2016 Hyundai Tucson gets 5 stars on overall rating, and 5 stars on frontal crash with 5 stars on driver and passenger.
2016 Subaru Forester gets 5 stars on overall rating, and 4 stars on frontal crash with 5 stars on driver and 4 stars on passenger.
2016 Toyota RAV4 gets 5 stars on overall rating, and 4 stars on frontal crash with 4 stars on driver and passenger.
2016 Chevrolet Equinox gets 4 stars on overall rating, and 4 stars on frontal crash with 5 stars on driver and 4 stars on passenger.
2016 Ford Escape gets 4 stars on overall rating, and 4 stars on frontal crash with 4 stars on driver and passenger.
2016 Nissan Rogue gets 4 stars on overall rating, and 4 stars on frontal crash with 4 stars on driver and 3 stars on passenger.
 
Pretty sure that I read somewhere the CX5 gets the highest rating if equipped with the Smart City Brake Support system.

Edit- per Mazda's website:
"The 2016 Mazda CX-5 was named a 2016 Top Safety Pick Plus by the IIHS when equipped with available Smart City Brake Support.*"
IIHS, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, performs its own crash test which is different from the crash test performed by government - NHTSA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
 
No, NHTSA's crash test has not changed since 1990. Earlier 5-Star Safety Ratings provide front crash, side crash, and rollover resistance ratings from 1990 - 2010. New 5-Star Safety Ratings feature an Overall Rating Score to make it easy to compare newer vehicles from 2011 and newer.

It's Mazda who changed something which affected NHTSA frontal crash test on passenger dramatically:

The test didn't change, but the measurements definitely changed in 2011.
2010 Mazda Tribuite: 5 star driver rating:
http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Sho...0-2010+Vehicles/Vehicle-Detail?vehicleId=5480
2011 Mazda Tribute 2 star driver rating:
http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Sho...1-Newer+Vehicles/Vehicle-Detail?vehicleId=182

No changes to the car or the test.. but the stars got much harder to get starting in 2011.
Pre 2011 the NHTSA only looked at head and chest injury, post 2011 it started looking at neck and legs as well

It's Mazda who changed something which affected NHTSA frontal crash test on passenger dramatically:

Mazda made the crash structure slightly stiffer and slightly altered the airbag timing half way though the 2014 model year and the NHTSA didn't re-test the car after those small changes.
 
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The problem is that it handles so well that every time they try to crash it the CX-5 surfers and goes around the barer.
 
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