An old VW Golf underwent a modern crash test, showing just how far automotive safety has come in just a few years.
The test was carried out by Dekra, an independent German automotive safety organization founded in 1925 in Berlin.
For the assessment, they compared a second-generation Golf built in 1989 with a modern Golf assembled in 2024.
At its crash test center in Neumünster, Dekra launched the Golf II into a barrier at about 60 km/h, simulating the frontal crash test procedure used by Euro NCAP until 2020.
The barrier was equipped with a deformation element to simulate energy absorption from an oncoming vehicle. Under these conditions, the test reproduced a head-on collision between two identical cars traveling at 50–55 km/h.
In the report, Dekra included images and some interesting observations on the shocking results of the tests. “In the Golf II, the occupants would have had little chance of surviving this frontal collision,” the organization explained.
The occupants’ deaths would have been caused by the complete collapse of the passenger cabin, “deep penetration of vehicle components into the cabin, deceleration, and impact with the steering wheel.”
However, the scenario would have been quite different with the Golf VIII, which went through the same tests as the Golf II. If occupied, the passengers would likely have escaped with only minor injuries.
“The entire passenger compartment remained completely intact, and the occupants were very well protected by the front and side airbags in combination with seatbelts, belt tensioners, and belt force limiters.”
In addition to crash tests, Dekra also conducted some braking tests and found that the eighth-generation car needed about 30% less distance to come to a complete stop.
Cornering stability was also examined in a maneuver test, with the modern VW completing it safely at 75 km/h, compared to just 65 km/h for its predecessor.
The tests debunk a widely spread myth that old cars were much tougher. While that might be true in some respects, it’s undeniable that automotive safety has greatly improved over the years.
Photo and video: Dekra. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
