New Cars Rombengan 2011 - 2020

From the New York Times: At speeds greater than 55 miles per hour, driving in a convertible with its top down produces sufficient noise to increase the risk of hearing loss, a study has found. Occupants are advised to raise the roof — however many style points that may cost them.

That is the conclusion of a joint study conducted by researchers from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine’s department of otolaryngology and the Ear Institute of Texas. The team’s findings were recently published in England’s Journal of Laryngology & Otology.

In one of the most self-sacrificing medical experiments in memory, the wind-blown researchers logged seat time in the following vehicles:

• 2009 Saturn Sky Red Line

• 2004 Nissan 350Z

• 2001 Porsche 911 C4

•2005 Saab Aero Convertible

• 2005 Ford Mustang GT

The tops were down and windows open while measurements were taken at 55, 65 and 75 m.p.h.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health defines 85 decibels as “excessive noise exposure,” so the researchers used that figure as a benchmark. The agency also defines “normal conversation” occurring at about 60 dB, a lawnmower at 90 dB and a chainsaw at 110 dB.

Researchers found it easy to hit 85 dB in a top-down convertible.

“When the convertible cars were driven with the top open, high levels of noise were consistently recorded,” the study said.

Read more...

The 2010 Hyundai Genesis Sedan has recently been tested and awarded the ‘Top Safety Pick’ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This award is earned by all vehicles who manage to achieve the institute’s top rating of “Good” for front, side, rollover and rear crash protection. A vehicle cannot achieve the ‘Top Safety Pick’ if it hasn’t got Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard.

The South Korean car company earned the ‘Top Safety Pick’ with the 2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan as well, but this year the standards were raised even higher and a roof strength test was added to the procedures.

The new guidelines require the roof to withstand more than two times the strength of current federal requirements in order to properly maintain the vehicle’s integrity in a rollover accident. And Hyundai made the adjustments to the Genesis roof structure to improve protection.

"Genesis was designed to be one of the safest vehicles on the road and includes features such as ESC and Hyundai's first electronic active front head restraint system, which helps prevent whiplash," said Derek Joyce, manager of product planning, Hyundai Motor America.

[Source: Hyundai]

Kia Motors has announced that its compact Forte sedan has received a "Top Safety Pick" status for 2010 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This is the third model from the Hyundai/Kia line-up to receive this prestigious title for 2010, with the other two being the Kia Soul and the all-new Hyundai Sonata.

It is important to note that this rating only applies to Forte's built after October 2009, as the automaker made revisions to the car's B-pillar and roof to qualify it for the award.

For a vehicle to qualify for the rating, it must score the top rating of Good in frontal-offset, side-impact, and rear-impact crash tests. New for 2010, a car must also score a good rating in its roof-strength test that measures occupant protection in the case of a rollover. The car must also be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC), standard equipment in the Forte.

With the new standards implemented for 2010, there are only 31 vehicles in the market that qualify for the Top Safety Pick, a low number compared to that of 2009. Other cars in the compact segment that earned the top rating are the Volkwagen Golf, Toyota Corolla, Subaru Impreza, Scion xB, and Nissan Cube. Honda Civic's equipped with optional stablity control also earned the award.

[Source: Kicking Tires]