Micro Crash Tests

MINI OR MICRO CARS MIGHT CAUSE ENVY AT THE GAS PUMP, BUT CHECK OUT WHAT HAPPENS IN A HEAD TO HEAD CRASH BETWEEN MINI AND MICRO CARS AGAINST MID-SIZE CARS.

We crashed a Toyota Camary into a Toyota Yaris, a Honda Fit into Honda Accord and the Smart Car into a Mercedes C-class.  The results boil down to the laws of physics. 

THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE OF HIGHWAY SAFETY SAYS COLLIDING AT 40 MPH THE MIDSIZE VEHICLES MAINTAINED A HIGH LEVEL OF PROTECTION WHILE THE MINI AND MICRO CARS ALL EARNED POOR RATINGS.

The results of the car to car tests show that there would be serious even fatal injuries in a real world driver in a crash like this.

TOYOTA MOTORS SAID THE TEST WAS CARRIED OUT AT A SPEED HIGHER THAN 99.9 PERCENT
OF REAL WORLD CRASHES.

HONDA CALLS THE TESTS UNUSUAL AND EXTREME AND SO DOES THE PRESIDENT OF SMART USA.

It's one thing to test in parameters in a lab in which all things are equal and it's quite a different thing when you go out on the highways when nothing is ever equal and that's where we think the safety systems take hold.

SAFE AND FUEL EFFICIENT THAT'S THE MESSAGE FROM SMALL CAR MANUFACTURES.  BUT THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE SAYS EFFICIENT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SMALL.

We have ways for vehicles get better fuel economy, without downsizing and down weighting and forcing people into very small cars where the risks and crashes are higher.

FOR CONSUMER WATCH, I'M SAMANTHA HAYES.