The Chevrolet Camaro has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The 86 doesn’t offer knee airbags.
The Camaro (except LS) offers an optional collision warning system, which detects an impending crash through forward mounted sensors and flashes a bright light and sounds a loud, distinctive tone to warn the driver to brake or maneuver immediately to avoid a collision. The 86 doesn't offer a collision warning system.
The Camaro (except LS/LT1)’s optional blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The 86 doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Camaro (except LS/LT1)’s optional cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The 86 doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.
The Camaro has standard OnStar®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The 86 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.
Both the Camaro and the 86 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras and available rear parking sensors.
The Chevrolet Camaro weighs 495 to 1375 pounds more than the Toyota 86. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Camaro is safer than the Toyota 86:
|
Camaro |
86 |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
Neck Stress |
212 lbs. |
263 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
479/694 lbs. |
814/1004 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
317 |
361 |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
32/84 lbs. |
470/406 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Chevrolet Camaro Coupe is safer than the 86:
|
Camaro |
86 |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Restraints |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Head Neck Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Peak Head Forces |
0 G’s |
0 G’s |
Chest Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Max Chest Compression |
21 cm |
22 cm |
Hip & Thigh Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Femur Force R/L |
.9/.9 kN |
4.5/1.6 kN |
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L |
0%/0% |
2%/0% |
Lower Leg Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Tibia index R/L |
.55/.45 |
.97/.72 |
Tibia forces R/L |
2.5/1.4 kN |
4.8/2.1 kN |
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Camaro is safer than the Toyota 86:
|
Camaro |
86 |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
3 Stars |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.