Honda Insight Achieves Top Euro NCAP Overall Safety Rating
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The Honda Insight is just months
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1st September, 2009
The new Honda Insight has been rated one of Europe‘s safest cars,
setting the benchmark for hybrid vehicles, according to the new independent crash testing results from EuroNCAP.
Euro NCAP’s rating scheme focuses on the vehicle’s overall safety performance which gives consumers an easy to
understand a single score. The system considers occupant protection in frontal, side, pole and rear impacts, child
protection, pedestrian protection and the availability of driver aids. The Honda Insight has been awarded the
maximum 5-star rating.
The new rating scheme, introduced in February 2009, uses a weighted score, combining many aspects of a car’s
safety performance: adult (50%), child (20%) and pedestrian (20%) protection assessment results with the
availability of safety assistance devices (10%). To qualify for inclusion, safety assistance devices (VSA for
Honda) must be fitted as standard across 85% of the EU 27 2009 model range.
The Insight is the most recent in a string of Honda cars to receive top marks.
Euro NCAP's new assessment reflects Honda’s commitment to overall vehicle safety, complimenting Honda’s
in-house safety testing which seeks to improve real world safety. Honda’s car-to-car crash test facility at the
Tochigi R&D plant analyses impacts between models of different sizes and weights and develops solutions to mitigate
injuries for both passengers and pedestrians.
SAFETY IN THE HONDA INSIGHT
Vehicle Stability Assist
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) is designed to assist the driver in maintaining control during cornering,
acceleration and sudden manoeuvres by applying braking assistance to any of the wheels as necessary and modulating
the engine torque output as required.
Braking
Ventilated front and solid rear disc brakes ensure road stability, which is further enhanced by the Anti-lock
Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA).
Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE)
Developed in the car-to-car crash testing facility at Tochigi, the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™)
body structure is now a well-established strength of Honda’s safety credentials.
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The ACE™ body structure is a Honda exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility
in frontal collisions. The ACE design utilises a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy
more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the
forces transferred to the passenger compartment and can help to more evenly disperse the forces transferred to other
vehicles in a crash.
Pedestrian Protection
The new Insight also incorporates many features designed with pedestrian-protection in mind. Research has shown
that these features can dramatically improve a pedestrian’s chance of survival if struck by a moving vehicle. Features
include windscreen wiper pivots designed to break away on impact, energy absorbing front guard mounts and bonnet hinges,
as well as an unobstructed area beneath the bonnet allowing greater space for deformation.
Airbags and Seatbelts
On all models the driver and passenger Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) front and side airbags are complemented
by full length curtain airbags to protect all occupants. There are three-point Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) seat
belts in all seating positions, the front seat belts also have 2 stage Energy Absorption (EA) load limiting
pretensioners. Additionally in the rear ISOFIX points ensure secure and correct installation mounting of child seats.
Active head restraints
The Insight is also equipped with front seat active head restraints which reduce the likelihood of neck injury in rear
impacts. As the occupant is pushed against the seat back, a rigid plate in the seat presses a link to the head restraint
pushing it up and forward to support the head.
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