No image car front available

This car came close to gaining a fourth star. It missed out because the restraint system allowed the driver’s head to contact the steering wheel during the frontal impact. The Storchenmühle Air Seat Universal child restraints were previously tested in the Mitsubishi Space Star. As before, they came in for criticism because of the severe head injury risks for children sat in them during a frontal impact. Mitsubishi has acknowledged the problem but until it is resolved, a real safety concern remains.

Front impact
The driver’s head contacted the steering wheel through the airbag which, in a more severe accident, could lead to injury. The column shroud was padded to protect the driver’s knees but it was inadequate. The front passenger also risked injuries from hard objects around his knees. However, the centre rear seat had a three-point belt as standard and this provided better protection than a two-point lap-belt would.

Side impact
Its performance was creditable but it did not protect fully in our tests: there was no side airbag or head-protecting airbag as standard. Also, the driver’s chest and abdomen hit the door and armrest.

Child-protection
A passenger airbag was standard. This can be dangerous for a child placed opposite it in a rear-facing restraint. There were poorly understood warning labels on the end of the passenger facia and a three-language text warning on the visible side of the sun visor. Neither mentioned the risk of serious injury or death if ignored. Mitsubishi said it will fix improved permanent labels to the sun visors. In the frontal impact, the children’s heads struck the Storchenmühle Air Seat restraints’ shields sufficiently hard to cause severe facial damage or brain injury. It is predictable that these restraint will injure children because the design intends that occupants’ heads strike the shields. The 18-month-old also had a very high neck load that is likely to occur for a child of this age placed in a forward-facing restraint.

Pedestrian protection
The bonnet protected where a child’s head might strike it. But the front of the car was unforgiving.