Hello all,

Last night I checked out "Mag Rack". "Mag Rack" is the on-demand cable feature that's provided with Cablevision's digital cable service (at least in the Long Island area). They regularly feature car reviews and short clips on subjects of interest to those of us interested in cars and trucks.

"Mag Rack" currently has a feature about the bumper performance of several new models including the TL and TSX. The results weren't too great for the TL and were pretty bad for the TSX.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests vehicles for low-speed bumper performance unlike the government's high-speed crash tests. The low-speed tests are looking to see how the bumper protects the car and how much damage is incurred in five MPH hits straight into a fixed barrier, angled into a fixed barrier, centered into a pole, and off-centered into a pole.

The video feature showed footage of a number of new models being subjected to the tests including the TL and TSX. The video of the TLs test results didn't appear to show damage, but the combined repair costs for all four tests was around $2,000. They commented that the damage was primarily to replace the bumper covers and related hardware, and that no safety equipment was damaged.

The TSX video included a shot of what the bumper looked like under the skin following a five MPH impact into pole with the back bumper. It was clear how the cover flexed and popped back, but the underlying structure was damaged and the pole hit the trunklid when the bumper flexed. The TSX had over $3,000 damage in all tests.

I'm not too surprised about the results. Modern style has dictated that the bumpers blend in with the front and rear fascias, so there's a lot less protection for lights, grills, and sheetmetal in routine impacts. Even though today's cars are a lot better than older models at protecting occupants, it appears that they're inferior at protecting themselves. My '93 Camry had bumpers that stuck OUT from the car, and took numerous decent impacts without any damage. The TL, TSX, and most recent designs have bumpers that are much closer to the body, so any impact hard enough to flex the bumper will likely do other damage as well.

It was an interesting video, and I figured I'd share the relevant stuff with the forum. The results in no way cause me regret in my decision to buy the TL. I don't plan on hitting anything or being hit, but at least I know based on the government tests that I stand a pretty good chance of walking away from a serious collision should one occur.

Hope everyone had a great holiday!

 

I just re-watched the video and I have a few corrections to my original post:

1) The tests are front straight into flat barrier, front angled into flat barrier, rear into flat barrier, and rear into pole.

2) The TL sustained almost $3,000 damage not $2,000. Its rating was "marginal".

3) The TSX sustained around $4,000 damage not $3,000. Its rating was "poor".

The moral of the story is that I've got to stop relying on my memory...

 

man..... did u see the rl??? maybe its better and what bout the other cars? what were they and did they do betteR???

 

No RL in this test. The 2002 RL was tested and given an "acceptable" rating.

The video showed tests of the Mitsubishi Galant which got the top rating, the Maxima, TL, and Suzuki Verona which got a "marginal" rating, and the TSX and Chevrolet Malibu which got a "poor" rating.

Check out the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's website for other reviews.

Regards,

 

GALANT???? mitsu???? wow!!! surprised...

 

I saw the test as well, it was also in an issue of Car and Driver a ways back.