Luxury cars do poorly in new crash tests

http://www.mercurynews.com/cars/ci_21310859/luxury-cars-do-poorly-new-crash-tests

Most midsize luxury cars -- including the Mercedes-Benz C-Class -- performed poorly in a new frontal crash test developed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The new test is designed to replicate what happens when a car strikes another car or a fixed object like a tree or utility pole. The test strikes 25 percent of a car's front end into a five-foot rigid barrier at 40 miles per hour.

The results don't bode well for non-luxury models, which will be the next to undergo the new test. Insurance Institute crash test results are closely watched by the auto industry and often lead to changes in design or safety features. Good scores are also frequently touted in car ads.

Of the 11 cars tested, only the Acura TL, Volvo S60 and Infiniti G earned good or acceptable ratings from the institute, which is funded by insurers.

Four cars -- the Acura TSX, BMW 3 Series, Lincoln MKZ and Volkswagen CC -- earned marginal ratings. Four others -- the Mercedes C-Class, Lexus IS 250, Audi A4 and Lexus ES 350 -- earned poor ratings. Marginal or poor ratings indicate the cars wouldn't protect occupants very well in a real-world crash.