The IHS (institute for Highway Safety) pitted America’s cheapest Nissan (the Versa) against Mexico’s (the Tsuru), and the crash test video is shocking.
Safety technology has come a long way since the B13 Nissan Sentra, still sold as the Tsuru in Mexico, was first released in 1990.
Without airbags, the base Tsuru offers almost no head protection, while the less advanced crumple zone technology means that the passenger area folds up like a pack of cars during the offset front on crash.
The entry level Versa has side and front airbags, which cushion important body parts, but more importantly the cabin area stays intact.
Thankfully Nissan will phase out production of the Tsuru, which has zero safety stars, by the middle of 2017.
