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Chevy Volt 'acceptable,' Nissan Leaf 'poor' in new IIHS safety tests

Ford C-Max Hybrid also scored "acceptable" rating. With US Nissan Leaf sales up almost 30 percent during the first half of the year, the only thing that might be able to stop the battery-electric vehicle is a good, stiff barrier. Unfortunately, thing's aren't always pretty when that happens in the real world, according to new tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Things with the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in are a little bit rosier, though. The two plug-in vehicles were part of a batch of a dozen vehicles that just went through the IIHS's "small overlap" test, in which the driver's side front corner of the vehicle is crashed into a rigid barrier at 40 miles per hour. Out of the dozen, only the Mini Cooper Countryman was given a "good" rating. Five vehicles, including the Volt and the Ford C-Max Hybrid, were rated "acceptable," two were "marginal" and two, including the Leaf, were "poor." Plug-in vehicles are unique in the crash-test context because of their relatively large battery sizes. In the Volt's case, the driver had a "low risk" of injury, said the IIHS. But the Leaf's crash substantially pushed back the instrument panel and steering column, creating a scenario where the driver was "likely" to sustain leg injuries. The batteries in both the Leaf and the Volt passed safety tests specifically targeted at things like thermo and electrical properties and overall integrity. "Nissan is proud of the Leaf's 'Good' rating in all other IIHS tests, a 4-star NCAP rating from NHTSA and its IIHS Top Safety Pick rating in all previous years since the car's release," the company said in an e-mail sent to AutoblogGreen. "As for the performance of the 2014 Leaf in the 'small overlap frontal test,' Nissan will continue to review these and other results from the IIHS 'small overlap frontal test' as we seek opportunities for improvement." Check out the IIHS's press release and small car crash-test video footage below. Range of ratings: Small car ratings run the gamut in challenging small overlap front test The Mini Cooper Countryman is the only small car to earn a good rating among the latest group of 12 cars subjected to the Institute's small overlap front crash test. Two electric models and a hybrid also are in the mix, with varied results. The electric-powered Chevrolet Volt (with a gasoline engine "range extender") earns an acceptable rating, while its battery-electric rival, the Nissan Leaf, earns a poor rating.

Camo'd Chevy Camaro ZL1 is one bad boy

Thanks to a fresh gallery of spy shots, we're getting a much better look at the next Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 during its development, and this machine is looking seriously mean. Unlike the last photos, the heavy cladding is gone from the body this time and is replaced by a camouflage wrap. That switch makes checking out the details a whole lot easier. The first thing you'll notice at the front is the massive grille that looks ready to devour anything that gets in the way. To add a little more menace, the lower air dam appears to jut out a bit more, as well. While harder to see in these latest shots, our spies say the hood still boasts an extractor similar to what's found on the Cadillac CTS-V. The big, double spoke wheels look great in black and really dominate the styling in profile. Look past them, and you notice some tweaked side sills, as well. At the very back, you can also spot some styling adjustments to the rear bumper. There's an unmissable wing back there, too. The powerplant for the ZL1 is still a mystery, but it's rumored to use the LT4 6.2-liter supercharged V8. The similar hood design as the CTS-V is one piece of evidence to support that. Even with the same engine, Chevy's engineers could tweak the output higher or lower than the Caddy. The wait to find out isn't too long because the ZL1 is anticipated to launch for the 2017 model year. Related Video:

2023 Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon and Ford Maverick Tremor | Autoblog Podcast #741

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. In the news, GM has revealed the 2023 Chevy Colorado and teased the 2023 GMC Canyon. The Chevy Silverado EV has surpassed 100,000 reservations. A new Mustang will be revealed in Detroit next month. Sebastian Vettel will retire from F1 following this season. Also, the 2023 Ford Maverick Tremor has been revealed. Our hosts talk about old muscle cars, and how they weren't as fast as we thought. We've been driving the Lexus LC500 Convertible and the turbocharged Mazda3 Hatchback. Jeremy just got home from driving a new electric UTV from Polaris. Finally, we reach into the mailbag to help a listener decide on a used van. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #741 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown News 2023 Chevy Colorado revealed, with ZR2 and new Trail Boss 2023 GMC Canyon teased, debuts August 11 2024 Chevy Silverado EV passes 150,000 reservations New Ford Mustang will debut Sept. 14 at the Detroit Auto Show Sebastian Vettel will retire at end of 2022 F1 season 2023 Ford Maverick Tremor gets some real off-road chops Feature: Our old muscle cars aren't as fast as we thought they were Cars we're driving 2022 Lexus LC500 Convertible 2022 Mazda 3 turbo hatchback 2022 Polaris Ranger XP Kinetic electric UTV Spend My Money: Van edition Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: