The Nissan Leaf 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 Escape PHEV doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.
The Leaf 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 Escape PHEV doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.
The Leaf (except S) offers an optional Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Escape PHEV only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.
Both the Leaf and the Escape PHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available daytime running lights and driver alert monitors.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Leaf is safer than the Ford Escape PHEV:
|
Leaf |
Escape PHEV |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Neck Compression |
11 lbs. |
23 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 flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Leaf is safer than the Ford Escape PHEV:
|
Leaf |
Escape PHEV |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
131 |
197 |
Chest Movement |
.8 inches |
.9 inches |
Abdominal Force |
137 lbs. |
191 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
158 |
344 |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.