I too am disappointed...whatever the real implications of this in an accident the purpose of the NCAP test is to make manufacturers strive towards safety but also to allow consumers to compare cars.
However, it seems that the intrusion of the pedal is the main failing, and let's face it, the effect of that is unlikely to be much worse than a broken foot or leg...we are not dealing with life-threatening injuries to head, chest, pelvis etc. It also sounds like this is a very marginal failure.
Another thought I've had is that you'd expect the results would be different depending on the engine? The test vehicle was a 1.8, but how would the results have been different with a heavier diesel or (presumably) lighter 1.4 engine? Different specs also add/reduce weight and distribution of weight (eg I bet the glass roof heightens the centre of gravity a little). Anyone got any ideas? I'd imagine the diesel would have different engine mounts (to deal with all that torque
) and possible other implications? One inescapable fact is that the extra weight of the diesel will cause it to brake more slowly than the petrol versions in an emergency situation, assuming the braking system is identical, even if the effect is small. There is also more energy in a crash at a given speed as a result of the extra weight (Newton's 2nd law: Force = mass x acceleration, or similarly mass x deceleration).