IIHS tests two-door cars

crunchierthanthou · Jul 21, 2009

Crash tests of 2-door cars: Volvo & Ford Coupes earn TOP SAFETY PICK; all 5 cars tested are rated good or acceptable in demanding side test.

ARLINGTON, VA — Crash tests demonstrate that occupant protection in all kinds of vehicles is improving. However, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety doesn't routinely test vehicles in every size/type category. Emphasizing vehicles for family use, the Institute usually crash tests 4-door models. To evaluate the extent to which automakers are extending crashworthiness improvements to 2-door cars, the Institute recently conducted front, side, and rear tests of 2009 coupes including the Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, and Scion tC, all small models, plus the midsize Volvo C30.

I thought this was interesting. It makes sense that they should test them both.

2- and 4-door cars don't always perform the same: The Civic, Cobalt, and Focus also are sold as 4-doors, and the Institute tested them previously. Frontal tests reveal only small differences between the 2- and 4-door versions, but differences in side test performance are more pronounced. For example, the 4-door Civic earns a good rating in the Institute's side test and is a TOP SAFETY PICK while the 2-door version is rated acceptable in the side test because of higher forces on the driver dummy's chest, abdomen, and pelvis. On the other hand, the 2-door Focus performed better than the 4-door version, earning a good rating in the side test and a TOP SAFETY PICK designation compared with the 4-door's acceptable performance in the side test.

"These differences confirm that crash test ratings for 4-door cars can't automatically be applied to 2-door versions," Zuby explains. "Still the safety improvements we've seen for 4-door vehicles generally appear to be carrying over to 2-doors, which is good news for consumers."

Pixels · Jul 21, 2009

I know that for the Civic and Accord, the 2-door and 4-door versions might as well be completely different vehicles. I was on a Honda lot, and side by side were two Accords. Both 2009, both the same trim level (EX, I think). One was a coupe, the other a sedan. My brother and I concluded that the only thing they had in common was the H logo, and the word Accord on the back.

For the 2002 model year, the Civic sedan and coupe shared ONE body panel.