Frontal Crash Improvements

Wrecked frontal view of a blue sedan

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Frontal offset crash tests conducted by the Institute since 1995 have prompted huge improvements in how vehicles protect people in frontal crashes. Now this consumer information program is undergoing a major change.

The Institute evaluates the crashworthiness of passenger vehicles based on 40 mph frontal offset crash  tests in which the driver side of the front of a vehicle strikes a deformable barrier. Read more . . .

Vehicle Height Incompatibility Dangers

Two cars crashed

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Mismatch of the front ends of the vehicles in this crash test is a problem.  The SUV’s front-end energy-absorbing structure rides of the car’s.  In a real crash, this could increase injury risks for the car occupants, which is why auto manufacturers have been committed since 2003 to designing the front ends of light trucks (SUVs and pickups) so their energy-absorbing structures overlap those of cars (see Status Report, Jan. 3, 2004; on the web at www.iihs.org).

“Compliance with these voluntary commitments already is making a difference, even Read more . . .

How To Buy A New Car

Which do you dread the most: buying a new car or visiting the dentist? For the average person, they may be equally painful. Buying a new truck or car can be very stressful and challenging; there is a lot to consider and a lot of money on the line.

Blue sedan“Most people say it’s like having a tooth extracted,” says John Davis, host and executive producer of MotorWeek, the critically acclaimed PBS weekly automotive magazine. “Nobody enjoys it.”

Davis and his staff want to change that. “We look at how people actually buy cars,” says Davis, whose team test drives more than 150 vehicles a year and evaluates them on handling, maneuverability, power, Read more . . .

Ten Reasons To Go Ahead And Buy That Classic Car

“Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and…” Go on, you know it, sing along: “Chev-ro-let.” Americans have long had a love affair with cars–classic cars in particular. They’re American Collinsworshipped in our culture, in movies and TV commercials, at weddings and charity benefits, at local hamburger-joint cruise-ins, family reunions, and Fourth of July parades. Young men in their first tuxedos drive them with sweaty palms to Prom.

The robust health of the old car hobby is evidenced by the ever-growing participation and attendance at car shows and auctions around the country (over 6,000 collector car shows and exhibits were held in 2003). Here’s why there’s never been a better time for you to join the millions who have made their dreams of owning a piece of the past come true: Read more . . .

Savvy Car Shoppers Use Internet

Ten years ago futurists predicted that the Internet would completely change the way consumers shop for goods. While that revolution never gained the strength that was predicted, there is no doubt that the Internet has altered the way people shop for big ticket goods, and the most obvious example is in the category of automobiles.

While the number of consumers visiting automotive web sites during the new- and used-vehicle shopping process has grown modestly in the last couple of years, the impact the Internet is Read more . . .