First America’s Consumer Reports showed the world that the Lexus GX 460’s stability control system was, well, lacking control. Now, A British consumer magazine, Which?, decided to one-up CR and do some testing of their own on a few small-yet-tall MPVs.
With the recent recall of the Lexus GX 460, there was significant talk and even criticism regarding the relevance of the test and whether or not Toyota was simply being targeted due to their string of recent recalls. The folks from Which? magazine and the German Automobile Association decided to team up and test just how relevant and important stability control systems really are – regardless of manufacturer.
The fodder
Which? decided to test the Citroën Nemo Multispace, Fiat Qubo and Peugeot Bipper Teepee. All three vehicles are almost identical in their general shape and design, but only the Fiat Qubo even had electronic stability as an option – the others had none, with no ability to even add it (in the United Kingdom), as Which? points out.
The test (More after video)
The results
As the video clearly demonstrates, electronic stability control can play a huge role aiding drivers during evasive maneuvers and avoidance situations. Which? says that in the United Kingdom the vehicles that come equipped with ESC are 25 percent less likely to be involved in fatal accidents due to the high fatality risk associated with total loss of control and/or rolling a vehicle.
“This test highlights the importance of stability control. Which? wants all cars to be fitted with stability control as standard, as research by the Department for Transport has shown ESC-equipped vehicles are involved in 25% fewer fatal road accidents. Such a vital safety feature shouldn’t be optional – it should be built in from the start,” said George Marshall, senior researcher at Think? magazine.
Manufacturers take notice – respond quickly
Just as Lexus responded by quickly choosing to test and address the issue with the stability control system on its GX 460, European auto manufacturers also responded to Think?’s evaluation. PSA, which is the parent company of both Peugeot and Citroën, announced that as a result of the testing they will begin to make ESC a standard feature no later than the fall of 2011.
References
1. ‘Cintroen Nemo MPV rolls over…’ view
Source: Leftlane