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New test highlights auto weakness

An Acura TL is on display at the 2010 San Diego International Auto Show at the San Diego Convention Center on January 2, 2010. UPI/Roger Williams
An Acura TL is on display at the 2010 San Diego International Auto Show at the San Diego Convention Center on January 2, 2010. UPI/Roger Williams | License Photo

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Just three of 11 mid-size luxury and near-luxury 2012 cars earned good or acceptable ratings in a new frontal crash test, a U.S. insurance group said Tuesday.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said it gave good ratings to the Acura TL and Volvo S60 while the Infiniti G was the only one in the luxury and near-luxury group to earn an acceptable rating on its new small overlap frontal crash test.

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For the test, the institute sends 25 percent of a car's front end into a 5-foot-tall rigid barrier at 40 mph with a special dummy belted into the driver's seat.

The test is designed to replicate what happens when the front corner of an automobile collides with another vehicle or an object like a tree or utility pole.

The insurance institute said small overlap crashes affect a car's outer edges that aren't well protected by crush-zone structures. The crashes go directly into the front wheel, suspension and firewall.

"These are severe crashes and our new test reflects that," said Adrian Lund, IIHS president.

Lund said small overlap crashes are a major source of front-crash fatalities.

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Receiving only marginal ratings in the small overlap frontal crash test were the Acura TSX, BMW 3 series, Lincoln MKZ and Volkswagen CC.

The Mercedes Benz C-Class, Lexus IS 250/350, Audi A4 and Lexus ES350 all earned poor ratings.

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