GM minivans earn high crash-test marks
By Ken Thomas
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The 2005 Chevrolet Uplander, Pontiac Montana SV6, Saturn Relay and Buick Terraza, newly redesigned General Motors Corp. minivan models, offer better protection for occupants than do earlier versions, according to the results of crash tests conducted by the insurance industry.
Associated Press
The Uplander and its three corporate cousins earned the top overall rating of good from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, an industry funded organization.
The front end of a 2005 Honda Odyssey crumples upon impact during a crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Despite the damage, the Odyssey received the top rating in the test.
The group, which released the test results yesterday, noted that GM's earlier minivan designs were among the worst-performing vehicles in the institute's frontal offset crash tests.
For example, tests of the 1997 Pontiac Trans Sport found "massive collapse of the occupant compartment," with a test dummy's head snapping back violently and its metal foot breaking off, said Adrian Lund, the group's chief operating officer.
He contrasted that with the Uplander's performance: "The occupant compartment stayed intact, so the driver's survival space was well-maintained." Lund called the performance "a huge improvement."
The institute gave the 1996 to 2005 models of the Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari, and the 1997 to 2005 models of the Pontiac Trans Sport, Pontiac Montana and Chevrolet Venture, its lowest overall rating of poor.
The tests, performed under the same conditions, were last conducted in 1996.
The institute simulates a severe crash. A pickup or minivan strikes the front of a barrier meant to represent another vehicle of similar weight at 40 mph.
A poor rating means a high chance of serious injury in a similar crash. If a vehicle earns a good rating, it means a driver wearing a seat belt would at most receive minor injuries in a similarly severe real-world crash.
In tests of small pickup trucks, four vehicles — the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier — were rated good. The Tacoma earned a "best pick" designation.
Three pickups — the Dodge Dakota, Ford Ranger and the Mazda B-Series — received the second-highest mark of acceptable in the frontal offset crash-test performance. Lund said the pickups had improved from previous tests.
"The manufacturers are paying attention to these tests and making improvements in how small pickups protect people in serious frontal crashes," Lund said.
The Astro and Safari are scheduled to go out of production in May. The Trans Sport and Venture are being replaced by the Uplander and similar models.
Among the minivans, the institute gave the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey its best pick in the frontal tests. The models received the top rating of good.
The Kia Sedona, Mazda MPV, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country were rated acceptable in the reviews.
