2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
large luxury car / 4-door sedan
Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2003-06 models built after December 2002
Tested vehicle: 2003 Mercedes-Benz E 500 4-door
The Mercedes E Class was redesigned for the 2003 model year. 2003 E Class models manufactured after December 2002 include structural changes to improve occupant protection in frontal offset crashes. (Note: Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door.)
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has evaluated the crashworthiness of an E Class with the structural changes in a 40 mph frontal offset crash test into a deformable barrier.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics Dummy movement was reasonably well controlled. During rebound, the dummy's head moved partway out the open window and hit the B-pillar and window frame. |
Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test.
The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well.
Smeared greasepaint indicates where the dummy's head hit the B-pillar and window frame. Head acceleration from this hit was low.
Forces on the legs and feet were low, indicating that significant injury was unlikely.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CEF0308 |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 3 |
| Left (cm) | 7 |
| Center (cm) | 9 |
| Right (cm) | 4 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 5 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 0 |
| Right (cm) | 0 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 1 |
| Rearward (cm) | -2 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 1 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEF0308 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 230 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 40 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.4 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 24 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.30 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 35 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 2.8 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 2.4 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 0 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.45 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.71 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 1.7 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 3.8 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 48 |
| Right | 60 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Seats with auto-adjust head restraints
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | Seats with auto-adjust head restraints |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 30 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 5 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 11.8 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 63 |
| Force rating | 2 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 126 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 813 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.