Car companies just want to pass tests I guess...

[Crazed_Insanity]

Was really surprised to see the new crash results. Since they only crash test the driver's side, they only reinforced the driver side to get good results. Passenger side in some models ended up with poor test results! As a recent Hyundai owner, surprised to see that they didn't cut corners here... unlike their MPG scandal.

However, I'm surprised to see Toyota really don't care about Japanese customers in their own country I guess. Our passenger side is their driver side!!! I can understand you can't have completely symmetrical structures, but with this much discrepancy between the 2 sides?

Currently my wife and kid both sit in the back, maybe it's better to keep it that way until regulators force all of these companies to stop cutting corners...

2016 Hyundai Tucson: Good, good
2015 Buick Encore: Good, acceptable
2015 Honda CR-V: Good, acceptable
2015 Mazda CX-5: Good, acceptable
2014 Nissan Rogue: Good, marginal
2014 Subaru Forester: Good, marginal
2015 Toyota RAV4: Good, poor
Source: IIHS

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/23/iihs-crash-tests-raises-questions-about-front-seat-passenger-safety-in-some-suvs.html

[TheBenior]

This reminds me of when some cars only had driver's side air bags.

[Freude am Fahren]

I would imagine the results would be the same in RHD cars, drivers vs. passenger, not Right vs. Left. Everything that makes them asymmetrical would be swapped.

[Alan P]

I guess it depends on where they're manufactured compared to where they're sold. If you have a single plant making them all then both sides would get the same. If you have two plants, say one in the U.S. covering there and Central/southern America then another servicing Asia and Europe you might make changed depending on where the vehicle is to be sold. No car company (or, generally any other business) will spend more than they have to.

[Crazed_Insanity]

This reminds me of when some cars only had driver's side air bags.
That's understandable during early stages of airbags... It's something obvious.

However, vehicle inner structures are not so obvious to consumers. I wouldn't expect perfect symmetry because 2sides are obviously not symmetrical, but to have such huge discrepancies... That's clearly some corporate greed going on.

I'd like to see more cars included in these surprise tests... Particularly European makes.

Anyway, I guess regulators need to have periodic pop quizzes to keep car makers in check.

[IMOA]

Euro NCAP has tested and reported on both driver and passengers for a hell of a long time so I doubt you'd see much difference with them. Kind of surprised that the US doesn't test for passengers as its been standard elsewhere for as long as I can remember. Classic example in Aus was a small car in the mid to late 90's which had a passenger side airbag standard but not a drivers side airbag, kind of made you go hmmmmm.

[Yw-slayer]

Probably because 99% of the cars on the road at any given time are single occupancy vehicles!