this page shows you the famous CITROËN XSARA when tested on safety!
XSARA CRASH TEST 1998
Citroën Picasso 1.4i | 5-door hatchback | 1998 model year | 11080 kg
cars built on the same platform: Xsara Picasso, coupé and estate
| front and side impact rating | pedestrian test rating | ||||||||
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| Test Scores: Front 7 (44%) Side 13 (72%) Overall 20 (59)% Pedestrian 16 (44%) |
| Citroën has told Euro NCAP that every Xsara 1.4i will be fitted with side airbags from the launch of these results. Accordingly, the car chosen for testing had seat-mounted side airbags. In the side-impact test, however, the seat-mounted airbag did not deploy correctly, resulting in a lower level of protection to the driver's chest than expected from this safety feature. Otherwise, the Xsara performed reasonably well in the frontal-impact test and gave above-average results in the pedestrian safety tests. |
| Frontal Impact
The cabin just remained stable but the driver's door lost much of its structural strength. Meanwhile, the driver's airbag fired late and towards the centre of the car. Head contact on the airbag was unstable and head and neck protection was marginal. Chest protection for the front passenger was weak and his belt pre-tensioner did not appear to have operated. Tightening of the driver's belt was also limited. There were structures within the facia which could generate loads on the driver's knees during an impact, increasing injury risks for his upper legs and pelvis, or damage to his knees. A deflector is fitted within the steering column shroud but its effectiveness would be limited. |
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| Side Impact
The driver's head hit the seat belt swivel and also the centre door pillar but suffered quite low loads. There was a problem with airbag deployment, though. The piping on the seat cover caught the airbag as it broke through the fabric and much of its lower section remained within the seat cover. And as the floor collapsed in the impact the driver's seat was crushed and its base was displaced downwards near his door. |
| Child Restraint
Citroën recommend the same forward-facing restraint as suitable for three-year-olds and 18-month-olds, and its locating points proved compatible with the car's rear belts. However, in the frontal impact, the three-year-old was allowed to move too far forward, while in the side impact his head was not retained within the seat shell. |
| Pedestrian Protection
Protection for pedestrian legs was above average. The car also met the proposed legislative requirements for half of the child's head-impact sites tested. Unfortunately, the majority of the adult test impact sites rated as poor. Overall, the Xsara earned a high two-star rating for pedestrian protection. |
| Model history and safety
equipment
Introduced in September 1997. The 1998 model year 1.4i has a driver airbag, side airbags, belt pre-tensioners and webbing grabbers. Power assisted steering is also standard in all EU markets. Note: other variants will not be fitted with all of the above equipment, which would affect safety ratings. |
| Safety features
Citroën’s approach to global safety seeks to avoid accidents and to protect the occupants of the vehicle by means of a reinforced passenger compartment combined with a host of complementary systems and equipment. Global safety means being able to leave a car on the street or in a car park, knowing that it is well protected against theft. |
| Avoiding accidents
In compliance with the marque’s traditions, the running gear is designed to provide the Xsara with high performance control, grip and power as well as ensuring the comfort of the vehicle’s occupants through the design of the suspension and the attention given to the damping of axle assemblies. The result is a coherent, homogenous assembly, tailored to the different powerplants and performing well in all circumstances. The Xsara is immediately identifiable as a car that is easy to drive, efficient and safe.  The
new Xsara adds to an already very capable chassis variable assistance power
steering, 15 inch wheels and tyres, a new wider track front and rear and
four wheel disk brakes, further honing the Xsara’s ability to avoid accidents.
The running gear design is unanimously acknowledged as a reference in roadholding behaviour and comfort. The Xsara is equipped with the marque’s self steering rear axle, with the elastic shims adapted to provide improved roadholding/comfort. The running gear offers a high performance damping system, with a decoupled anti-roll bar at the front for increased efficiency and steering precision as well as variable assistance power steering. All models are fitted with disc brakes, with ABS brakes with electronic brake force distribution standard on the Coupé VTS and 2.0 litre auto 5 door. The rear doors of the Xsara are equipped with tell-tale child locks, which are visible from the front seats. These locks are red if the safety system is not activated. Particular attention was given to night visibility. All Xsara models are equipped with an electric function to adjust headlamp elevation. |
 A
protective strip running the length of each front pillar prevents water
from running down the side windows and also reduces wind noise. Side vision
is thereby optimised, even in rainy weather.
All Citroën Xsara models are equipped with timed indicator to warn that doors are open. This function is active even with the ignition off. |
| Protection in the event
of an accident
An already robust and safe design, the passive safety features of the Citroën Xsara have been further enhanced by the adoption of the latest state of the art airbags for both front seat occupants. Both bags have been increased in size, from 45 to 60 litres in the case of the driver’s side bag, and they are now ‘smart airbags’ with their level of inflation defined by the force of the accident, which means that they can offer a greater level of protection in a wider range of accidents. The vehicle structure was the focus of particular attention throughout the development process. The use of high-yield steel, notably in the 
doors and substructure, brings a considerable increase in stiffness without
making the vehicle heavier.
A cross-member running across the roof and resting on the middle pillars reinforce the structure. This encloses the passenger compartment in a protective hoop. The hoop protects the vehicle in the event of side impact or rollover. The Xsara is fitted with an energy-absorbing side-impact protection system in the front door panels. In the event of side impact, the middle pillar and roof cross-member (protective hoop) absorbs much of the energy. The remaining energy is transmitted gently by the absorbers to the pelvis, this being the most resistant part of the human body. For the new Xsara, Citroën has used the information gathered in its on-going crash test programme to add further strength strategically placed to achieve the maximum benefit, including:
All Xsara models are equipped with height and tilt adjustable front head rests. The Citroën Xsara is also a pacesetter in terms of protection against luggage thrown forwards when the vehicle is hit from the back. The bolts and structure of the rear seat comply with the most stringent standards in the field. The Xsara is also equipped with an inertia-controlled fuel cut off system and a fire safety function controlled by the engine computer. This limits the risks of fuel leakage in the event of an accident. |
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