Safety Features
Safety Features1. General
The impact absorbing structure of the '07 model can effectively help reduce the impact in the event of a front, or side collision. This structure also realizes high-performance occupant protection through the use of reinforcement and member that help minimize cabin deformation.
2. Impact Absorbing Structure for Front Collision
In conjunction with the high level of impact absorbing structure for a front collision, the front bumper reinforcement, the side members, the reinforcements and members that surround the cabin have been optimally allocated.
Accordingly, the frameworks of the underbody and cabin help to absorb and dissipate the impact energy efficiently, and to minimize cabin deformation, in case of a front collision.
^ A large front bumper reinforcement is used to efficiently dissipate the impact energy to the right and left front side members.
^ Crush boxes have been provided at the front of the right and left front side members in order to help minimize damage to the front side members.
^ The front side members use a hexagonal and cross-sectional construction. As a result, high proof strength and excellent impact energy absorption efficiency have been realized.
^ The front end of the rocker has been extended forward. This helps absorb the impact energy from the front tire during a frontal collision and helps minimize the deformation of the body surrounding the cabin.
^ The clearance between the front door inner panel and the front pillar has been reduced to dissipate the impact energy to the front door inner reinforcement, thus helping minimize damage to the front pillar.
^ The engine rear support member has been constructed to separate from the floor panel when the collision load of the engine and the transmission acts on the engine rear support member during a frontal collision. This suppresses the intrusion of the dash panel into the cabin, thus helping to reduce the injury inflicted on the chests of the occupants.
3. Impact Absorbing Structure lor Side Collision
As a result of optimizing the body construction and expanding the application of high strength sheet steel, the impact energy can be transmitted efficiently to the center pillar, rocker, and floor cross member. Furthermore, the impact energy is transmitted via the seat rods to the floor tunnel, in order to suppress the deformation of the body during a side collision.
^ The center pillar uses a dual construction consisting of a reinforcement made of high strength sheet steel and another reinforcement inside.
^ A rocker reinforcement a, bulkhead inside the rocker, and a reinforcement inside the floor cross member made of high strength sheet steel are used.
^ The floor cross member has been raised and joined to the rocker to prevent the rocker from caving in.
^ A gusset has been provided inside the cabin at the back end of the rocker so as to overlap with the rear door side impact protection beam, in order to help minimize the deformation of the body.
^ A roof side rail reinforcement made of high strength sheet steel is used and enlarged from the center of the front pillar to the rear end of the roof rail, in order to help minimize the intrusion of the roof side rail into the cabin.
^ Rods and pads have been provided inside the front door and the front seat in order to transmit and absorb the impact energy efficiently and help minimize body deformation.
^ A large roof reinforcement and joining brackets have been provided above the center pillars. They help reduce body deformation by transmitting and dissipating the impact energy to the opposite side of the collision.
^ A head impact protection structure is used~ With this type of construction, if the occupant's head hits against the roof side rail and pillar in reaction to a collision, the inner panel of the roof side rail and pillar collapses to help reduce the impact.