Toyota’s redesigned 2013 RAV4 crossover has performed poorly in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s latest small overlap front crash test.
Toyota redesigned the 2013 RAV4 with a more robust steering column and added padding in the footwell compartment, but those changes weren’t enough to prevent the popular crossover from earning a rating of “poor” in the small overlap test.
According to the IIHS, the small overlap crash test resulted in the dummy’s left foot being trapped by crushed and buckled sheet metal in the footwell. Crash data shows that a real person would have likely sustained a serious lower leg injury.
Additional, the RAV4’s steering wheel moved a full seven inches to the right as a result of the impact, causing the dummy to slide to the left and miss the full chest cushioning effect of the air bag. The IIHS also noted that the RAV4’s seatbelt didn’t properly limit the dummy’s forward movement, allowing the head and to strike the instrument panel.
“This is a challenging test,” said Institute President Adrian Lund. “Most manufacturers are going to need to make significant changes to their vehicles in order to improve protection in these kinds of serious frontal crashes.”
The RAV4 isn’t alone in its poor showing in the small overlap test. Of the 13 small crossovers the IIHS has tested, just two – that Subaru Forester and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport – have earned a good or acceptable rating in the small overlap crash test.
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