The new generation
MINI Cooper was rated four stars by the Euro NCAP.
In the
European safety and crash test has scored 79 percent in Adult Occupant, 73
percent in Child Occupant, 66 percent in Pedestrian Safety and 56 percent in
Safety Assist. The only “Marginal” rating was given to the torso in the Side
Car impact.
Other areas
of the test were marked as “Adequate” or “Good”. The only “Poor” rating was
given to the lower part of the hood and lower side parts of the windshield.
Here are the results:
Adult Occupant:
The
passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal impact. Dummy readings
indicated good protection of the knees and femurs of the driver and passenger.
MINI showed that a similar level of protection would be provided to occupants
of different sizes and to those sat in different positions, whose knees might
strike the dashboard at a different location to that seen in the test. In the
side barrier test, forces were transmitted to parts of the dummy which are not
representative of a human body, reducing the load on the ribs. These forces
resulted in the maximum penalty being applied to the chest score and the
assessment being downgraded from good to marginal. Loads on the abdomen also
indicated marginal protection. In the pole test, protection of the chest and
abdomen was rated as adequate. Tests on the front seats and head restraints
revealed good protection against whiplash injury in the event of a rear-end
collision, while a geometric assessment of the rear seats indicated that the
protection there would also be good. An autonomous emergency braking system is
available which works at low, city-type speeds. As it is an option, it was not
included in the assessment.
Child Occupant:
In the frontal impact,
decelerations in the chest of the 1½ year dummy were marginally high, despite
the dummy being sat in a rearward-facing restraint. Forward movement of the
head of the 3 year dummy, sat in a forward-facing restraint, was not excessive
but forces in the chest and neck were also marginally high. The front passenger
airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward-facing restraint to be used in that
seating position. However, no information is provided to the driver if the
airbag is still armed and unsafe for a child restraint, and the system was not
rewarded. All of the child restraints for which the car is designed could be
installed and accommodated, except for the Group 0+ restraint used for the
assessment (Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix). While this restraint could be properly
accommodated in the car, installation in the rear passenger seat was difficult.
Height adjustment is an option on the front passenger seat and, without this,
installing the restraint in the rear requires more actions than Euro NCAP
considers suitable, and zero points were awarded.
Pedestrian
The
bumper provided good protection to pedestrians’ legs and scored maximum points.
However, the front edge of the bonnet was poor at all test locations and scored
no points. The MINI has an active bonnet. The system detects when a pedestrian
has been struck and uses actuators to raise the bonnet, providing extra
clearance to the hard structures in the engine bay. MINI showed that the system
worked robustly for a variety of pedestrian statures and over a range of
speeds. Accordingly the bonnet was tested in the deployed (raised) position and
results were predominantly good or adequate.
Safety Assist:
Electronic
stability control is standard equipment on the MINI, as is a seatbelt reminder
for the front and rear seats. A driver-set speed limitation device is an
option. As it is expected to be fitted to most cars sold, it was included in
the assessment. An autonomous emergency braking system is available as an
option but is not expected to be fitted to most of the cars sold, so it was not
included in the rating. The MINI does not have a lane assistance system.
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