It was in 1885 that the first automobile was created. And it is amazing to notice how far the cars have come across in terms of design, guise, and performance. With the inclusion of so many improved and cool features, nowadays cars are the epitome of modern technology.
You will be surprised to know that with so many advancements, still there are cars that fail the crash test. Although they are marked as ‘unsafe’ the worst part is you get to see them on the roads.
Drivers make it a priority to keep the passengers, passersby, and themselves safe but the elephant in the room is all cars and safety tests are not treated in the same way. It does not matter how strict the guidelines are because the safety ratings vary from country to country.
Here are 15 cars that are still being sold even though they have failed the crash tests:
15 Ford Explorer
The 1991 Ford Explorer was introduced in 1990 which was the first SUV with four doors. It was reputed to be at risk due to its tendency to be crashed because of flaws in the design. However, everyone thought Ford learned their lesson after that, but to the dismay of the Ford lovers’, the 2018 Ford Explorer failed the crash test but is still available for purchase.
14 BMW X1
The BMW X1 with a poor automatic braking system has a hard time slowing down. Unlike the cars with the finest auto brake systems, this SUV has failed in three dummy tests scoring a zero. Even with the addition of technology like Daytime Pedestrian Detection, the BMW X1 failed in this detection system during the crash test.
13 Ford Escape
Another dangerous vehicle that made it to the list is the 2018 Ford Escape, which failed extremely in providing protection to the front-seat passengers during the crash test. But then again, this did not affect the crossover to be rendered as one of the bestsellers in the US automotive market.
12 Toyota Tundra
According to the tests by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2019 Toyota Tundra was marked as one of the riskiest trucks during an evaluation. The tests included the pickup truck to accelerate at 40 mph. After witnessing Tundra’s performance, it did not result in high recommendations from the experts.
11 2016 Toyota Hilux
The 2007 Toyota Hilux was just about to roll over in the moose test when the driver saved it by reflex. But the damage was done and attained a poor score. History repeated itself in 2016. The IIHS concluded that the fault was in the car’s dynamic safety system and the performance relied heavily on the type of tires used.
10 Toyota Rav4
The Tundra or the Hilux are not the only kids that disappointed father Toyota during the crash test. The 2019 RAV4 is one of them too. After surviving multiple tests, the experts concluded that the Toyota Rav4 was not a very reliable crossover SUV. But it is still a great SUV.
9 Mercedes A-Class
The Mercedes A-Class during a crash test turned over, failing the test enormously. The media was all over it, making it a top priority for all the A-Class cars to be given upgrades. Unlike many others, Mercedes has learned their lesson and now produces a car that passes the test in one go.
8 Jeep Grand Cherokee
With lessons from the previous version of the Grand Cherokee, the new Grand Cherokee has upgrades to overcome the flaws. Nonetheless, in the IIHS tests, during the crash, the airbag failed to deploy, banging the head of the dummy with the dashboard and falling to the floor. Guess the Grand Cherokee has more to learn!
7 Ford Pinto
If Ford could tell a sad story about its kids, Pinto would be one of them. It was designed for a great hit, but the specialists later discovered that if the car was rear-ended, the fuel tank would burst. All the tests had the same sad and disappointing results. However, the Ford authority still went ahead with a launch followed by a tragic end to the story.
6 Fiat Panda
The second car to receive a zero in the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) crash tests is the Fiat Panda. This makes it one of the dangerous sedans of this era. And most importantly, this is not a safe car for the children as it scored only 16% in the Child Occupant rating, instead of the required 79%.
5 Suzuki Jimny
The Suzuki Jimny is a great SUV for comfortable everyday drive, but that does not make it a safe driving car too. The Jimny lacks protection for road users exposing them to immense risky situations. During the NCAP crash test, it received only three stars, which is not a good score to keep up the reputation.
4 Dodge Journey
If you are the one driving a Dodge Journey, you better be alert, because it did not quite score well in the crash test conducted by IIHs. This car keeps the passengers safe, even it passed the pedestrian test too. But it ended up putting all risk on the driver causing a very low chance of survival.
3 Fiat 500L
The Fiat 500L is a king with several fatal issues in its kingdom. Because of its terrifying nature, it is regarded as one of the low graded compact cars by the Consumer Reports. If the Fiat 500L encounters any accident, and you are driving it, chances are your head would glide off the airbag.
2 Ferrari 458 Italia
The Ferrari 458 Italia passed its round of safety test. Finally, some good news, isn’t it? Wait, why is it on the list? Well at high speeds, the Italia explodes. Boom! This happens because of the adhesive in the rear wheel arcs. But the Ferrari resolved this issue after the feedback came in. That explains the Italia’s inclusion in the list.
1 Mitsubishi Mirage
With some of the best features like price and fuel economy, the Mitsubishi Mirage is a great sedan for you and your family. However, it did not receive a round of applause by the IIHS as it scored poorly in the crash test. Overall, it is a good reliable car produced by the Japanese automakers.