1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

large luxury car / 4-door sedan

1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 4-door sedan

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Moderate overlap front: original test

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 1997-2000 models built after January 1997 and before February 2000

Tested vehicle: 1997 Mercedes-Benz E 420 4-door

The Mercedes E class was redesigned for the 1996 model year. All 1997-2000 E class models manufactured after January 1997 but before February 2000 include structural changes to improve protection in frontal crashes. Additional structural changes were made beginning with the 2000 E class models manufactured after January 2000, so the listed ratings do not apply to the latest models (note: information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door).

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has evaluated the crashworthiness of of a 1997 model E 420 with the first set of structural changes in a 40 mph frontal offset crash test into a deformable barrier.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
Dummy movement wasn't well controlled. During rebound, the dummy's head hit the window sill. There was too much upward movement of the steering wheel. Late in the crash, the driver door opened. This opening didn't significantly affect dummy movement during the test but shouldn't happen because, in some crashes, it could allow partial or complete occupant ejection.

Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test.

Despite some buckling of the roof rail, the dummy's survival space was maintained well. However, this good performance was marred by the opening of the driver door.

Energy-absorbing padding between the footwell and floor carpet is designed to reduce forces on drivers' legs in serious frontal crashes.

The driver door opened, which could allow occupant ejection in some crashes.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CF97005
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 14
Left (cm) 19
Center (cm) 17
Right (cm) 13
Brake pedal (cm) 15
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) 5
Right (cm) 3
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) 10
Rearward (cm) 3
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 9

Driver injury measures

Test ID CF97005
Head
HIC-15 305
Peak gs at hard contact 29
Neck
Tension (kN) 2.0
Extension bending moment (Nm) 19
Maximum Nij 0.37
Chest maximum compression (mm) 35
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 5.5
Femur force - right (kN) 3.2
Knee displacement - left (mm) 5
Knee displacement - right (mm) 2
Maximum tibia index - left 0.33
Maximum tibia index - right 0.43
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 0.6
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 0.6
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 76
Right 68

About the original moderate overlap front test