Chevrolet, Dodge And Ford Mustang: Which Will Be Safest For Drivers?

The models of the Chevrolet GM, +4.08% Camaro, Dodge US:FCAU Challenger and Ford F, +3.24% Mustang all failed to earn a Top Safety Pick after being evaluated for crashworthiness by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the nonprofit organization

To earn the title, a car must score “good” ratings in five crash categories, including roof strength and side crashes, and it must have “advanced or superior” front crash prevention. This was the first time IIHS has tested these models. The muscle car segment typically includes smaller, two-door high-performance vehicles powered by a larger engine.

IIHS chose to test these muscle cars to evaluate how well auto manufacturers extend safety standards to their smaller specialty segments, Lund says.

The Mustang came the closest to achieving the Top Safety Pick title with “good” ratings for four of the five categories and “basic” front crash prevention. The 2016 model is the safest to date, said Elizabeth Weigandt, a Ford spokesperson, in a statement. General Motors didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The Challenger, however, was found to be in the greatest need for safety improvement. In the small overlap test, which simulates situations like a car hitting a tree or clipping an oncoming vehicle, the dummy’s foot needed to be unbolted in order for it to be removed from the vehicle. “The occupant compartment completely collapsed,” Lund says. “A real driver wouldn’t be walking away from that crash.”

The Challenger is one of the most powerful cars in the segment, with a horsepower range of 305 to up to 707. The Camaro has a range of 275 to 455 and the Mustang ranges from 300 to 435. “U.S. vehicles meet or exceed all applicable government safety requirements,” FCA said in a statement. “FCA U.S. urges all motorists to follow all applicable traffic laws and maintain control of their vehicles accordingly.”

Muscle car drivers tend to exceed the speed limit by at least 10 mph or more, Lund says, however, they pose the greatest risk to themselves as opposed to fellow motorists. “[Muscle car drivers] tend to be over-involved in single-vehicle crashes,” he says. “That’s what makes the crash-worthiness ratings so important.”