The 2014 Toyota Camry remains a popular choice for car buyers seeking reliability and safety. To help you make an informed decision, we delve into the safety performance of the 2014 Camry based on evaluations by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This comprehensive review analyzes the Camry’s crashworthiness in various scenarios, providing a detailed look at its safety strengths and weaknesses.
Understanding the IIHS Crash Tests
The IIHS conducts several crash tests to evaluate vehicle safety, each simulating different types of real-world collisions. These tests include:
- Small Overlap Front Crash: This challenging test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end (25%) on the driver’s side strikes a rigid object. It’s designed to assess how well the car protects occupants in offset frontal crashes.
- Moderate Overlap Front Crash: In this test, 40% of the vehicle’s front width impacts a deformable barrier. It represents a more traditional frontal crash scenario.
- Side Crash: This test evaluates how well a vehicle protects occupants in a side impact collision with another vehicle.
- Roof Strength Test: This test measures the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover accident.
- Head Restraints & Seats Test: This assesses the effectiveness of head restraints and seats in preventing whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions.
Let’s examine the 2014 Toyota Camry’s performance in each of these critical safety evaluations.
2014 Toyota Camry Small Overlap Front Crash Test
The small overlap front crash test is particularly demanding, and the 2014 Toyota Camry’s performance varies depending on the manufacturing date.
Models Built After December 2013: Improved Front Structure
For 2014 Camry models built after December 2013 (often referred to as “2014.5” models), Toyota implemented structural modifications to enhance occupant protection in small overlap frontal crashes. The IIHS test results for these later models show a significant improvement compared to earlier versions.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | Acceptable (A) |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good (G) |
| Chest | Good (G) |
| Hip/thigh | Good (G) |
| Lower leg/foot | Good (G) |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Acceptable (A) |
The structural rating of “Acceptable” indicates that while the occupant compartment was reasonably maintained, there was still some deformation. However, driver injury measures were all rated “Good,” the highest possible rating, for head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot.
Analysis of the dummy’s movement revealed that the head contacted the frontal airbag but nearly slid off to the side. The side curtain airbag, while deployed, lacked sufficient forward coverage to fully protect the head.
Intrusion into the driver’s space was reasonably controlled, minimizing the risk of leg and foot injuries.
Technical Measurements (Modified 2014 Camry):
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment intrusion | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 16 |
| Footrest (cm) | 8 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 5 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 6 |
| Parking brake (cm) | 17 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 2 |
| Upper occupant compartment intrusion | |
| Steering column | 2 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 8 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 10 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 9 |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head HIC-15 | 126 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.4 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 20 |
| Femur Left (kN) | 1.5 |
| Femur Right (kN) | 1.0 |
| Maximum tibia index Left | 0.80 |
| Maximum tibia index Right | 0.40 |
Models Built Before January 2014: Earlier Design
For 2014 Toyota Camry models built before January 2014, the results of the small overlap front crash test were less favorable. These models represent the original design from the 2012 model year without the structural enhancements.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | Poor (P) |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good (G) |
| Chest | Good (G) |
| Hip/thigh | Good (G) |
| Lower leg/foot | Acceptable (A) |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Poor (P) |
The “Poor” rating for structure and safety cage indicates significant intrusion into the occupant compartment. Driver restraints and dummy kinematics were also rated “Poor” due to issues with airbag deployment and dummy movement.
During the test, the dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag and then slid off, as the steering column moved excessively. The seat belt allowed too much forward movement, leading to the head hitting the instrument panel.
Extensive intrusion into the occupant compartment was observed, especially around the door hinge pillar and parking brake pedal, increasing the risk of lower leg injuries.
Technical Measurements (Original 2014 Camry):
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment intrusion | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 37 |
| Footrest (cm) | 17 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 9 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 8 |
| Parking brake (cm) | 31 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 6 |
| Upper occupant compartment intrusion | |
| Steering column | 7 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 19 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 25 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 21 |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head HIC-15 | 100 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 19 |
| Femur Left (kN) | 3.4 |
| Femur Right (kN) | 2.4 |
| Maximum tibia index Left | 0.83 |
| Maximum tibia index Right | 0.60 |
Learn more about the small overlap front test
Key Takeaway for Small Overlap Test: If you are considering a 2014 Toyota Camry, it is crucial to check the build date. Models manufactured after December 2013 offer significantly improved small overlap front crash protection compared to earlier 2014 models.
2014 Toyota Camry Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test
In the moderate overlap front crash test, the 2014 Toyota Camry achieved the highest rating of “Good.” This rating applies to all 2012-2017 models, indicating consistent performance in this type of frontal collision.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good (G) |
| Structure and safety cage | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good (G) |
| Chest | Good (G) |
| Leg/foot, left | Good (G) |
| Leg/foot, right | Good (G) |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Good (G) |
Technical Measurements:
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 9 |
| Left (cm) | 8 |
| Center (cm) | 5 |
| Right (cm) | 6 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 7 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 2 |
| Right (cm) | 1 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | -1 |
| Rearward (cm) | -4 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 2 |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head HIC-15 | 115 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.2 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 24 |
| Femur force – left (kN) | 1.6 |
| Femur force – right (kN) | 2.3 |
| Maximum tibia index – left | 0.42 |
| Maximum tibia index – right | 0.38 |
Learn more about the moderate overlap front test
2014 Toyota Camry Side Crash Test
The 2014 Toyota Camry also earned a “Good” rating in the side crash test, applicable to 2012-2017 models. This test was conducted on a 2012 Camry SE with standard side airbags.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good (G) |
| Structure and safety cage | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good (G) |
| Torso | Good (G) |
| Pelvis/leg | Good (G) |
| Driver head protection | Good (G) |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | Good (G) |
| Torso | Good (G) |
| Pelvis/leg | Good (G) |
| Rear passenger head protection | Good (G) |
Technical Measurements (Driver Side):
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Occupant compartment intrusion (B-pillar to seat centerline) | -12.5 cm |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head HIC-15 | 312 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.2 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 29 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 3.7 |
Technical Measurements (Passenger Side):
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head HIC-15 | 52 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.2 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.3 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 21 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 1.9 |
Learn more about the side crash test
2014 Toyota Camry Roof Strength Test
The 2014 Toyota Camry demonstrated robust roof strength, achieving a “Good” rating, valid for 2012-2017 models.
| Overall evaluation | Good (G) |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,167 lbs |
| Peak force | 15,148 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 4.78 |
Learn more about the roof strength test
2014 Toyota Camry Head Restraints & Seats Test
In the evaluation of head restraints and seats, the 2014 Toyota Camry again earned a “Good” rating, applicable to 2012-2017 models with power cloth seats.
| Overall evaluation | Good (G) |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | Good (G) |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | Good (G) |
Technical Measurements:
| Seat type | Power cloth seats |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 37 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 33 |
| Seat design parameters | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 12.1 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 57 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 0 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 406 |
Learn more about the head restraint & seat test
Conclusion: 2014 Toyota Camry Safety Performance
The 2014 Toyota Camry generally performs well in IIHS crash tests, earning “Good” ratings in moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraints & seats evaluations. However, the small overlap front crash test results highlight a critical difference between models built before and after December 2013.
For optimal safety in a 2014 Toyota Camry, prioritize models manufactured after December 2013 due to their improved structural design for small overlap frontal crashes. While earlier models still offer good protection in other crash scenarios, the enhanced front structure of later models provides a significant advantage in this challenging crash test. Overall, the 2014 Toyota Camry, especially the later models, is a safe and reliable vehicle choice for drivers and passengers.
