The Moose Test: Can Your Car Handle It?

Do moose live in your state? There’s a chance that you might run across a massive deer on the road. Hitting a moose is a nightmare because it can grow taller than most NBA centers and weigh more than a thousand pounds. Its center of mass sits high enough that the moose’s heavy body goes through the windshield when a vehicle smashes into its legs.

It’s in your best interest to avoid hitting the moose. However, hastily swerving around an unpredictable animal might lead to accidents like skidding or rolling over, especially if you’re going fast. Fortunately, the moose test can determine whether or not your car can handle this kind of road emergency.

What Is the Moose Test?

Formally called the evasive maneuver test and sometimes the dry-surface car test, the moose test determines how well the vehicle dodges an obstacle that abruptly appears on the road. It’s also called the elk test by people outside North America, who use the term interchangeably with moose.

The modern-day moose test is a dry course with cones set up in an S shape. A “maximum weight” vehicle goes through the course, going faster with each circuit until it hits a cone.

In the trial, the test driver rapidly moves into the left lane to simulate dodging an object that suddenly appeared in their lane. As soon as the car passes the obstacle, the driver returns to the correct lane, avoiding traffic heading down the left lane.

The driver repeats the process, each time at a higher speed. The moose test concludes when the driver loses control of the vehicle, such as knocking over cones, spinning out, or flipping over.

The moose test grades vehicles according to how fast they can move before their driver loses control. A car passes the test if it completes the maneuver at a speed of at least 45 mph. Other rules ensure fairness between different types of vehicles.

Who Came Up With the Moose Test?

Sweden developed the moose test in the 1970s. The original version required cars to swerve around obstacles on the road while moving at speeds of at least 37 mph without losing control. Such a combination of maneuverability and handling reduced the risk of crashing into anything that might suddenly appear on the road, such as a moose.

Other countries adopted the moose test, and the process achieved standardization in ISO 3888-2. It encouraged the development of improved stability control systems in vehicles worldwide.

The Swedish motor magazine Teknikens Värld was responsible for the colloquial term “elk test.” In Sweden, the term “elk” refers to actual elk and unrelated moose.

Teknikens Värld started covering evasion maneuver tests in the 1980s. It released test results in cooperation with a local TV show.

One of the most famous evasion maneuver tests involved a first-generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatchback in 1997. The brand-new car shockingly failed the test, losing control and flipping over. Mercedes-Benz hurriedly implemented many fixes, enabling the A-Class to pass the next test.

Following the unexpected failure of the highly-touted Mercedes Benz A-Class, the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung held an interview with Teknikens Värld’s Robert Collin. The reporter used an elk as an example of obstacles that might appear on the road without warning and require the vehicle to swerve around it. Specifically, Collin called it Älgtest, the Swedish word for “elk test.”

Süddeutsche Zeitung translated the Swedish term as Elchtest, a German word that meant the same thing. The elk test term spread across the world. When it reached North America, it became the moose test because the continent had a large moose population, especially compared to Europe.

Despite the popular name, the moose test isn’t applicable to moose in real life. Studies have shown that when moose cross the road, they don’t freeze up or turn around to flee like smaller deer. Instead, they keep moving forward without a care in the world. Therefore, when you come across a moose crossing the road, it’s recommended to slow down and slip behind the animal.

The moose test is still useful, however, because it can help avoid colliding with other animals and people who suddenly cross the road.

What Are the Car Models With the Best Moose Test Rating?

Are you interested in the models that did well during moose tests? Here are the car models with the highest moose test ratings:

1999 Citroën Xantia Activa

The 1999 Citroën Xantia Activa has the highest safe speed reached during moose tests. It attained a speed of 52.8 mph before the driver lost control. The Xantia Active achieved this record with the Cadillac version of the Citroën self-leveling hydraulic suspension, enabling the car to make fast, tight turns around corners and obstacles.

2021 Kia EV6

The 2021 Kia EV6 reached an impressive 48.4 mph during the moose test. Like most electric vehicles, the EV6 has a low center of gravity, keeping it stable while swerving around an obstacle. The rear-wheel drive version needs at least level 3 regenerative braking enabled to prevent fishtailing at high speeds.

2021 Tesla Model Y

The AWD Extended Range version of the 2021 Tesla Model Y came close to beating the 1999 Citroën Xantia Activa’s record. Still, 52 mph is better than almost all other vehicles. The Model Y’s impressive stability control systems effectively minimize body roll. It even outperforms the Tesla Model S Plaid, which reached an impressive 51 mph.

2023 Porsche 718 Boxster

The 25th Anniversary Edition of the Porsche 718 Boxster reached 49 mph during its moose test. Packing various performance features like a flat-six engine and rear-wheel drive into a small body, the 718 Boxster stayed fully stable at 44 mph. At its highest speed, it only suffered minimal understeering.