Crash test methodology

[dbias]

Here is a recent, 4 month old video, of a crash test btwn a jetta and corolla. This is a 50% overlap front collision btwn two cars where as I believe the standard test for safety ratings is 25% into a stationary wall. Wonder why they chose 50% over 25%?
Just looking at the cars the jetta seems to come out much better, door opens, roof and other body lines unaffected and heck the windshield isn't even broken.
The corolla may have dissipated the energy over more of the body but the intrusion of the front wheel into the driver's feet is inexcusable. As a retired firefighter I've spent a lot of time cutting drivers feet out of the pedals and flooring to extricate a victim and its not pretty.

 

[Cujet]

I'm not at all surprised the Jetta did better.

As always, the push for economical vehicles has a very real price. I do appreciate the testing, and recognize that it has great benefits. But the reality is that a small car is not always going to be hit by another small car. The list of "safest cars" is always very heavily populated with SUV's and trucks. While the least safe include the Fiat 500, Sonic, Fiesta, etc.

We've all seen the F150 vs car accident. The truck often drives home, the car's pilot goes in the ambulance. As Scotty from Star Trek would say, "Ya can't change the laws of physics".