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American Muscle Struggles in IIHS Testing

(Credit: © IIHS)

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American Muscle Struggles in IIHS Testing

2016 Challenger struggled in the IIHS' small-overlap test.

2016 Challenger struggled in the IIHS’ small-overlap test. (Credit: © IIHS)

Sports cars like the Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang, and muscle cars like the Dodge Challenger are built to handle crazy speeds like no other. With this ability to handle speed, one may assume that the manufacturers may go a tad overboard on the safety to compensate. According to IIHS testing of these rigs, this isn’t completely true.

Every day, we learn about a new sedan or other timid family car earning the IIHS’ coveted Top Safety Pick+ or Top Safety Pick designation. In fact, it is so often that these cars earn these ratings that it sometimes seems like the IIHS just hands these out like diplomas at a for-profit college. Apparently, this isn’t the case, as of the three big American-built performance rigs, the Camaro, Mustang, and Challenger, none earned this designation.

The closest of the three to earning this designation was the 2016 Mustang, which received a “Basic” rating in front crash prevention and a “Good” in four out of the five tests. The one that cost the Mustang its day in the sun was the always-tough small-overlap test where it scored just “Acceptable.”

The redesigned 2016 Camaro was also close, as it scored a “Good” rating in all but the roof-strength test where it earned just an “Acceptable” rating. It also came up short with its lack of front-crash prevention features—at least a “Basic” rating is required for the Top Safety Pick designation.

The 2016 Dodge Challenger was the worst of the three as it only received “Good” ratings in the moderate-overlap and side crash tests. The IIHS gave is an “Acceptable” rating in roof strength and head restraint and seat safety, and a scary “Marginal” rating in the small-overlap test. The latter test showed significant cabin intrusion near the lower leg that would likely result in serious injuries. Specifically, engineers had to unbolt the dummy’s foot to free it from the wreckage.

There you have it; just because they made them fast doesn’t mean they made them any safer. Not that these ratings will make a muscle car fanatic buy a family cruiser, but it’ll at least give them food for thought.

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