2004 Nissan Sentra Base Sedan 4-door 1.8l on 2040-cars

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Nissan Sentra crash rating improves, now Top Safety Pick [w/video]

After a poor showing in the hands of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety back in 2013, Nissan is back for another round of crash testing with its 2015 Sentra, and it's walking away with a Top Safety Pick. The compact sedan's small overlap front crash test rating improved from "poor" to "good", owing to internal improvements to the A-pillar, door sill and front structure, IIHS said in a statement. The dummy, in this most recent test, was at a low risk of injuries because of the structural changes. Take a look at video of the Sentra's small overlap crash test, available up top, and the official press release down below. 2015 Nissan Sentra earns TOP SAFETY PICK award ARLINGTON, Va. - The 2015 Nissan Sentra has improved from a poor to good rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small overlap front crash test, qualifying for the TOP SAFETY PICK award. The small car's front structure, A-pillar and door sill were modified to reduce intrusion in small overlap crashes. In addition, the side curtain airbag was lengthened to protect the driver's head. In the latest test, the driver space was maintained well, with maximum intrusion of less than 5 inches at the lower door hinge pillar. The dummy's movement was well-controlled. The head hit the front airbag and stayed there until rebound, while the side curtain airbag had enough forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects. Measures taken from the dummy indicate a low risk of injuries in a crash of this severity. In contrast, the 2013-14 Sentra didn't hold up as well in the test. Intrusion measured as much as 13 inches at the lower hinge pillar. The dummy's head slid off the left side of the frontal airbag, and the side curtain airbag didn't offer adequate coverage. Measures from the dummy indicated that injuries to the left leg would be possible in a crash of this severity. Introduced in 2012, the small overlap test replicates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object such as a tree or a utility pole. The Sentra's good ratings in the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests carry over to the 2015 model year. To qualify for the 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK award, a vehicle must have good ratings in those four tests and a good or acceptable rating in the small overlap test. Related Video:

Nissan Zeod RC crash test looks like crushing the tip on a pencil

Nissan has already showed us the 1.5-liter, three-cylinder engine 400 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, augmented by an electric motor, that sits in back of the ZEOD RC headed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At the ZEOD RC's other end is a carbon fiber crash structure that has to be tested against an immovable object, and Nissan has seen fit to show us that, too.
You know what to expect if you've seen a crash test before, but the really pointy nose on this car reminds us of a Faber Castell HB pencil being sent to its death. Better yet, it's in slow motion, and you can watch it below.

Watch Nissan's autonomous Leaf in action

Getting its semi-autonomous Leaf legalized in Japan was just the first step. Now, Nissan is giving demonstrations of what its fully autonomous car is capable of at this year's Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies (CEATEC) show - Japan's equivalent to America's Consumer Electronics Show. To show off the possibilities of its technologies, Nissan had an oval track set up at the show giving rides in an autonomous Leaf to the media. Even Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn and Toyota CEO Akio Toyodo caught a ride.
Nissan has since released a couple videos of its CEATEC demos, with one designed to look like a news report. In this video, you can watch the car go around the track and navigate intersections and road hazards. The second video shows Ghosn riding in the car, and he hints that Nissan's goal of having an autonomous vehicle in production by 2020 might be more of a worst-case scenario. Watch both videos and read through Nissan's official press release below.