Several SUVs Fail Side Crash Tests
Posted October 11, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Here’s an aside to some SUV owners – your car may not be as safe as it could be, especially if someone hits you in the side. That’s the conclusion of tests on some of the best selling sport utility vehicles in North America that researchers call ‘surprising’.
The U.S.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety drove several test vehicles into a barrier at just under 50 kilometres an hour to see how well they absorbed the impact. The 2008 versions of General Motors’ Trailblazer, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Nissan’s Pathfinder and Xterra received only marginal grades because they don’t have air bags that adequately protect the chest and abdomens of those in the front seat. The tests caused serious virtual injuries to those areas on crash test dummies.
“The performance of some of these models in the side test was surprising,” admits the Institute’s David Zuby. “SUVs should have an advantage in side crashes because the driver and passengers ride higher up than in cars. People often think they’re safer in one of these vehicles, but many cars hold up better than some of these midsize SUVs in this test.”
Still, not all the cars were crushed by the results. The Toyota 4Runner and the Xterra that did have the side air bags were rated as good. So were the Ford Explorer and the Mercury Mountaineer.
Front testing gave most of the vehicles a top score, as well.
All the companies named were quick to defend their vehicles, noting their products meet all U.S. government safety standards and that no one test can prove a car’s overall ability to withstand a crash.
To see the vehicle-by-vehicle results, click here.
To see video of the crash tests, click here.
