I don't know what it is with M-B's, but they never score high in the Gov frontal Tests.

W212 Test:
http://www.safercar.gov/portal/site/...resh=1&ID=8455

W211 Test:
http://www.safercar.gov/portal/site/...resh=1&ID=4408

W204 C-Class Test:
http://www.safercar.gov/portal/site/...resh=1&ID=4815

The W212's head injury criteria is pretty bad, worse than the 211's (and W204's) actually (which also got 4-Stars), it actually has "worse" scores than the 211 in a few areas in the side and frontal collision load numbers.

If this was any other company who claims they are superior in "real world crashes", yet showed less than perfect numbers in standardized tests, I wouldn't take their word for it, M-B has historically backed it up however (ex: the W211 had the amongst the lowest Death Rates of about any car in the IIHS latest Stat Sheet, & lowest of all mid-size Sedans, as did the W210), so I don't think much of these Tests.

Here is the Euro AUS Tests (more rigorous than U.S Tests)

W212:
http://www.howsafeisyourcar.com.au/_...l.php?IID=2993

W211:
http://www.howsafeisyourcar.com.au/_...il.php?IID=105

It performed a smidge better in both frontal and side collisions than the 211 did, earning it a slightly higher overall score. If you look at the details, There was slightly less movement of the A-Pillar, Steering Wheel hub, and brake pedal in the safety cage, which is expected with its even more generous use of the latest high strength steels

The EU's strict new frontal regs for Pedestrian Safety got it a 4 Star Ped Rating (W211's is 1) as the lower and more blunt/less slanted grille, lack of a sticking out bumber area, clamshell (popping) bonnet, and grill-airbag proved effective in that area.

One thing that's puzzling, is the 212 got only a 4-Star rear-impact (whiplash/neck injury) rating for an EU Gov Test, which is a first for a modern M-B really. Can't find the Link right now where I saw it (I think somebody posted a Thread about it here before), and heard a few people saying the "Neck-Pro" Feature wasn't activated.

Hopefully some of this info is valuable to some, and Hopefully the U.S's IIHS Tests are to come soon.

 

Found some Videos:

NHTSA Front. If you look at the 212's NHTSA Frontal Vid, you see A LOT of harsh dummie movement, and a seemingly hard appearing impact by both the physical car, and the interior/passengers flailing everywhere:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTCXSA7d0k4

The W211's Vid shows it actually being quite a bit more composed and "smooth" in the crash, which would explain the differences in their Test Scores:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fubRGgPOF8Y

NHTSA W212 Side Test:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTCXSA7d0k4

EURO NCAP W212 Test (where it performs much better than the NHTSA Test):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fubRGgPOF8Y

That is an offset Test, and to note, the NHTSA slams the cars full front end into a flat wall. Obviously M-B wasn't taking ramming into flat walls as much into account as the more realistic (and testing overall on a cars structure) offset crashes.

 

good info K-A, thanks.

Some of your youtube video links seem to be incorrect vs your titles for them in your post.

 

Not a prob Kar don, anytime.

Whoops, just realized that, my bad hehe.

 

Either way, if I am to crash in a car (as I have once in my beloved Wald E320 ) I'd rather be in a Benz than say a Honda Civic.

 

Yup, Benz over anything really for me.

My worker car, new Malibu gets perfect Crash Test scores across the board, even got the coveted "Top Safety Pick" for the IIHS in 2010, something no E-Class has yet to achieve.

No doubt I still feel safer in my Benz.

 

Okay, so here's the NHTSA's Frontal Test, here you can see how harshly the car and its occupants react to the crash, everything flails about wildly inside (are the seats flimsy or is it just me), explaining the low scores, compared to the W211 in the Links above, which oddly seems a bit more composed in the crash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hw7csjjYPU

And the Euro NCAP Offset Test:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jutoIqqdIuU

 

I just want to point out that with the Euroncap it can be misjudging to compare the test results over the years since a car earning 5 stars 2006 might just earn 3 or 4 stars if it was tested today. The same is for the different classes (small sedan/medium sedan and etc...). Let's say that a 5 star Fiat 500 isn't per definition safer than a 4 star large sedan and so on...

 

Is it that they changed how rigorous the NCAP was over the years?

Of course weight is a huge factor here, ex: a Smart Car getting 5 Stars won't protect its occupants better than an old 4-Star Tahoe's would, in a head on collision.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86M_fV-1yKY

 

I've seen that before actually, lol. Of course there are variables, ex: a late 90's Ford F-150 will crumble onto itself in a 40 MPH head on collision with something as heavy as itself (proof in its IIHS Test).

Still, you can't cheat the weight factor, although a Smart protects amazingly well for such a tiny car, against a Tahoe you're toast. On the other hand, there are tons of huge old cars that seem like they'd be solid as hell, but crumble to pieces upon impact, so a modern day small car (new Civic, as was mentioned), will offer better protection.

Cool Video, which I personally find comforting: '09 Malibu VS '59 Bel Air:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPF4fBGNK0U

 

You say the Malibu is rated a safer car than the MB but you feel safer in the MB. Why? Logic would say otherwise.

 

I always bought MBs because I thought they had superior safety standards. The ratings do not support my assumtion or is it just E class specific?

220S where are you when we need you? I know you would have studied this to death. Tell us what you know.

 

petee, all I know is weight is king. I'll only feel completely safe in a 6 ton dump truck.

But if you like, I'll run my E63 into a brick wall at 80 mph and video tape it. Hopefully I'll survive for a life of more poutine and Molsons.

 

Well it's a tricky thing, like I said, M-B's never perform too great in standardized Tests.

The new E-Classes frontal ratings are actually really low in the NHTSA frontal Test, and the W211 E-Class for example got a pretty less than desirable side rating in the IIHS Test (yet got a 5 Star on the NHTSA Side Test), however still showed statistically to be less likely to "die in" in an accident than basically any other car (up to '05 models I believe was the last time they released Stats), when they put out the stats.

I guess M-B is the one brand where I "trust" enough that I'll take their word for it when they say "our cars are built for real world crashes, and don't always perform perfectly in standardized Tests".

However, in this day and age, you've gotta put up good numbers. The 212 proves that it you ram into a flat wall, you're gonna be hurtin', and the load to your neck/chest/legs will be a bit worse than a lot of cars out there?

In the Offset crash it appears to do better of course, but I dunno, I guess I just trust that M-B engineers "know what they're doing" when designing the crash-worthiness of a vehicle.

 

I see you have completed your research on poutine. Only one thing left to do, a quick flight to Montreal for the official tasting. At that point you can truly say you are a worldly connaisseur.

 

I'm on an Air Canada flight right now as I type. I'll fill myself silly with Montreal's finest cuisine. All that exquisite poutine will add extra padding on my belly making it safer for me when I crash my E63 into the brick wall. Who needs airbags? Not me.

Yum.

 

Very good information! Thanks a lot; great valuable post and a nice summary that covers some of the major talking points.

One of the best posts I've seen in a while!

 

Did anyone else notice the brake lights on the '10 seemed to illuminate in the NHTSA's side impact test?

 

Not a problem Patrick, very glad it was informative to you, and thanks for the nice words!

Yeah I noticed that! I assumed it's a regular M-B thing though? Or part of the Pre-Safe feature?

 

I wasn't aware of MBs braking automatically during side impacts, so if that's the case, that's a pretty neat feature. I wonder if it's a new thing or something even previous MBs have. I don't recall ever seeing that before on other MBs.

 

Yeah interesting, maybe it's new to MY '10 models?

I remember reading about pre-Safe engaging the rear lights during frontal impacts.

 

The NHTSA is bull****.

NHTSA said that steaming heap of manure called the Chevrolet Aveo is a safe car, when it clearly isn't. IIHS and EuroNCAP are the real deal.