Why SUBARU | Safety

Passive Safety

Protection against collisions.

With its DNA as an aircraft manufacturer, SUBARU has always placed safety as its highest priority through its ‘human-oriented car making,’ with a strong commitment to protecting lives.

More than 60 years of research and development in passive safety has led to innovations such as the New Ring-shaped Reinforcement Frame body structure, an engine layout designed to help reduce occupant injury, and the Subaru Global Platform.

Recognised around the world, SUBARU’s collision safety performance helps protect not only the driver, but also loved ones on board—even in the unlikely event of a collision.

SUBARU's Crash Safety Body

SUBARU’s New Ring-shaped Reinforcement Frame body structure works like a protective “cage” by connecting the cabin’s pillars and frame components. This unique design helps prevent cabin deformation, no matter which direction an impact comes from.

Building on this structure, SUBARU further enhances collision performance by combining the Subaru Global Platform with a full inner-frame structure. Together, they deliver outstanding safety performance that has earned high ratings in safety assessments around the world.

Even if the unexpected occurs while driving with your loved ones on board, SUBARU’s world-class safety body is designed to help protect the lives that matter most.

Frontal/Rear-End Collisions

Submarining to prevent injury to passengers

Subaru cars have traditionally been powered by the Horizontally-Opposed SUBARU BOXER Engine. With an inherently low centre of gravity, the engine allows the transmission and other components in the drivetrain to be positioned in a straight, symmetrical line. This design allows the engine to “submarine” – or slide – under the floor during a frontal collision, and has been proven to be much safer than other engines, where the transmission and other drivetrain components are often pushed into the cabin during a collision. Related: The SUBARU BOXER Engine

Eliminating injury to lower legs

If the car is involved in frontal collision, the car’s pedals often move backward, causing injuries to the driver’s leg. All Subaru cars employ auto-retracting pedals to minimise this type of injury. Brake pedals are retracted with the use of a catch and shock absorbing clutch pedals (MT models) limit changes in pedal position. Footrests (AT models) also use shock absorbing material to reduce injury to the driver’s feet.

Instantly inflatable cushions

The driver’s seat and passenger’s seat SRS airbags work in tandem with seatbelts to protect passengers. These are folded into a compact size and stored within the steering wheel and dashboard, and inflate instantaneously to form airbags during a collision, providing added protection for the passengers.

Front passenger seat restraints for unexpected accidents

The front seat seatbelts of Subaru cars have a number of features for added safety. The pretensioner tightens the seatbelt instantaneously during a collision, holding passengers more firmly in their seats. The load limiter maintains tension in the seatbelt, reducing injury to the passenger’s chest. And the seatbelt adjuster changes the position of the shoulder strap to suit different body sizes.

Reducing passenger whiplash and injury

Seats play an extremely important role in protecting passengers during a rear-end collision. Standard front seats in Subaru cars incorporate mechanisms to reduce these shocks in three ways: (1) Active headrests to hold the head firmly. (2) Absorb shocks to the head using energy absorbing headrests with a dual layer internal structure, thus minimising neck whiplash. (3) The entire seatback absorbs the shock that throws passengers backwards, minimising the shock transmitted to passengers.Shock absorbing materials have also been used for the ceiling and other cabin surfaces to reduce the shock transferred to the heads of passengers during a collision.

Three-point seatbelts in all seats for better safety

All rear seats in Subaru cars use three-point seatbelts to firmly hold the waist and chest area of passengers. All retractors feature a child seat (ALR) mechanism.

The symmetrical layout of the Symmetrical AWD + BOXER platform protects passengers from the impact by effectively utilising the entire chassis structure as a crushable zone in the event of a collision. Every component within the cabin has been designed with safety in mind and made with shock-absorbing materials to protect the human body. This concept stems from the understanding that even the smallest equipment can become hazardous under the high energies of a collision. Safety pedals and a seat design that reduces whiplash during rear-end collisions have also been used.

Side/Offset Collision, Roll-over

Extremely safe body to help protect cabin space during a roll-over

Every SUBARU boasts exceptional driving stability owing to the low centre of gravity design and suspension system that offers excellent traction. In essence, SUBARUs are engineered to have a low risk of a roll-over. If the car is involved in a roll-over for whatever reason, the high rigidity of the Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frames body and deformation of the shock absorbing materials help to prevent cabin space from being compromised. The shock absorbing materials used throughout the ceiling and cabin interior, front side SRS airbags/curtain SRS airbags and other safety features also help to reduce any impact delivered to the heads of all passengers.

No expense spared for absorbing energy

A shock absorbing structure has been used within each surface around the driver’s seat and passenger’s seat headspace to provide better protection during a collision.

First line of protection during a side collision

Reinforcing beams have been added within the door frames, which help prevent distortion to the cabin during side collisions and ensure the safety of passengers sitting inside. These beams have been installed as standard in all Subaru models since the release of the second generation Legacy in 1993.

For the protection of all passengers

Far-side airbags help protect front-seat occupants during a side collision. The airbag deploys from the inside of the driver’s seatback to help reduce injuries by cushioning contact—such as the driver and front passenger hitting each other, or an occupant colliding with interior components.

*Availability varies by model.

SUBARU vehicles have rigid side door beams installed within doors on either side of the car to protect passengers during a side collision. The high rigidity of the Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frames body protects the entire cabin in the event of a collision or roll-over. The addition of front SRS airbags/curtain SRS airbags and use of shock absorbing materials throughout the interior help to protect the head and body of passengers, in a cabin designed to minimise collision impact.

Reducing the risk of secondary accidents

In some collisions, the driver may temporarily lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a secondary accident. To help reduce this risk, SUBARU vehicles are equipped with Post-Collision Brake Control, which applies the brakes when a collision is detected. The system helps slow the vehicle or bring it to a stop, while flashing the hazard lights to alert surrounding drivers and help prevent further impacts.

*Availability varies by model.

Pedestrian Protection and Compatibility

Reduced injury to pedestrian legs

A shock absorbing structure has been used around the front bumper area, which has the highest probability of striking against the legs of pedestrians during an accident. This feature absorbs collision energy that would otherwise be transmitted to the pedestrian’s legs, thereby protecting their knee joints and other body parts from potential injury.

Cars built with others in mind

In an accident involving two cars, the smaller or lighter of the two usually sustains more damage during the collision. Subaru has taken a broad stance for developing cars to ensure an adequate level of safety towards the other car with an efficient, shock absorbing frame, while providing a solid cabin with which to protect its occupants, holding them firmly in place with fail-safe safety restraints.

Preventing injury to pedestrian head area

The front wipers are designed so that the wiper shafts detach when subjected to shock. With this modular layout, injury to pedestrians from the wiper ends is minimised in the event that a pedestrian is thrown on top of the car’s bonnet.

One of the characteristics of the BOXER engine is its low structural profile. This creates space under the bonnet to absorb impact if a pedestrian is thrown onto the car, reducing the chances of a head injury. Even the hinges and bonnet gas dampers are designed to minimise impact, and the front bumper features a structure that absorbs collision energy to protect the pedestrians’ legs. These are just some of the ways that SUBARU designs every aspect of its cars to protect passengers and enhance pedestrian safety.

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