The 20 Least Safe Cars of 2015

11. Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf owes its low safety rating to the “poor” rating it received in the small overlap front test. Driver space was seriously compromised by intruding structure. Lower interior intrusion measured 40 cm at the lower hinge panel, and upper intrusion measured 35 cm at the hinge and 36 cm at the instrument panel. The parking brake pedal was pushed in 31 cm towards the driver, and the steering column was pushed back 9 cm. Left knee, and left lower leg injuries would both be likely in a crash of this severity, according to dummy measurements. The dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off the left side as the steering column moved 23 cm to the right, leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward side structure and allowing little airbag cushioning for the chest. The side curtain airbag deployed but does not have sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with forward side structure and outside objects.