The ILX has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Passat doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 5 points, IIHS rates the Collision Mitigating Braking System in the ILX as “Superior.” The Passat scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”
Both the ILX and the Passat have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Acura ILX is safer than the Volkswagen Passat:
|
ILX |
Passat |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
227 |
312 |
Neck Injury Risk |
26% |
39% |
Neck Stress |
257 lbs. |
391 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
57/324 lbs. |
104/367 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
211 |
384 |
Chest Compression |
.5 inches |
.8 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
40% |
41% |
Neck Stress |
166 lbs. |
297 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
40 lbs. |
85 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Acura ILX is safer than the Volkswagen Passat:
|
ILX |
Passat |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
14 inches |
15 inches |
HIC |
299 |
305 |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.