Applies to 2013-18 models built after March 2013
Overall evaluation |
M
|
Structure and safety cage |
A
|
Injury measures |
Head/neck |
G
|
Chest |
G
|
Hip/thigh |
G
|
Lower leg/foot |
G
|
Restraints and dummy kinematics |
P
|
Important: Frontal crash test ratings should be compared only among vehicles of similar weight. |
The Volkswagen Beetle was redesigned for the 2012 model year after a one-year absence from the market. Beginning with 2013 models built after March 2013, the side airbags were reprogrammed to deploy in small overlap frontal crashes. Also, the door and B-pillar structure was modified to improve occupant protection. (Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on the driver door or adjacent B-pillar.)
Structure
The driver space was maintained reasonably well, with maximum intrusion of the lower interior of 17 cm at the lower hinge pillar, and the instrument panel intruded 10-11 cm.
Injury measures
Measures taken from the dummy indicate a low risk of any significant injuries in a crash of this severity. Head acceleration from the instrument panel hit was low.
Restraints and dummy kinematics
The dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off the left side as the steering column moved 12 cm to the right. Additionally, the seat belt allowed excessive forward excursion of the dummy’s head and torso, contributing to the head hitting the instrument panel. The seat-mounted combination head/torso side airbag did not deploy, despite the reprogramming, leaving the dummy's head vulnerable to contacts with side structure and outside objects.
Tested vehicle specifications
Tested vehicle |
2013 Volkswagen Beetle 2-door |
Weight |
3,030 lbs. |
Side airbags |
front seat-mounted combination head and torso airbags |
Wheelbase |
100 in. |
Length |
168 in. |
Width |
71 in. |
Engine |
2.5 L 5-cylinder |
EPA ratings |
22 mpg city / 29 mpg highway |
How this test is conducted
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
Test ID |
CEN1316 |
Lower occupant compartment |
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) |
17 |
Footrest (cm) |
11 |
Left toepan (cm) |
7 |
Brake pedal (cm) |
4 |
Parking brake (cm) |
|
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) |
9 |
Upper occupant compartment |
Steering column |
2 |
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) |
5 |
Upper dash (cm) |
11 |
Lower instrument panel (cm) |
10 |
Driver injury measures
Test ID |
CEN1316 |
Head |
HIC-15 |
293 |
Peak gs at hard contact |
not meas. |
Neck |
Tension (kN) |
1.6 |
Extension bending moment (Nm) |
18 |
Maximum Nij |
0.33 |
Chest maximum compression (mm) |
23 |
Femur (kN) |
Left |
2.2 |
Right |
1.6 |
Knee displacement (mm) |
Left |
2 |
Right |
0 |
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) |
Left |
0 |
Right |
0 |
Maximum tibia index |
Left |
0.53 |
Right |
0.55 |
Tibia axial force (kN) |
Left |
2.1 |
Right |
2.1 |
Foot acceleration (g) |
Left |
94 |
Right |
79 |